


The Facebook Flub

by captainsjedi



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, F/M, Friends to Lovers, Long-Distance Friendship, and cupcakes, lots of marvel references, lots of netflix
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-18
Updated: 2019-05-22
Packaged: 2019-11-24 01:17:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 33,348
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18159551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/captainsjedi/pseuds/captainsjedi
Summary: When Emma accidentally sends a friend request to the wrong person, she doesn't expect much to come of it. But maybe this accident is the best decision she's ever made.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Inspired by a comment I came across on Instagram asking people to share how their long distance relationships began:
> 
> "I added the wrong guy on Facebook that I met at the bar...the guy I added lived in Germany and I was in Canada. That accident...is now my husband."
> 
> A few changes to make it fit Captain Swan, plus a whole lot of support and cheerleading from wellhellotragic, profdanglaisstuff, and thejollyroger-writer later, here we are. Thanks a million, ladies, you're the best.

Going out was the last thing Emma wanted to do tonight. She had a long week dealing with a tough case at work, the weather reports were calling for snow, and she had a headache- not to mention the fact that she didn’t feel like being hit on by some drunk low life. 

 

“Those are all reasons for you to go out then,” Ruby insisted when Emma relayed all of this to her over the phone. “It’s Friday night. You need to come let loose with your friends and forget about whatever else is on your mind. And you know I’ll gladly fight off anyone who bothers you.” It took similar texts from Elsa, Graham, David, and Mary Margaret for her to finally give in and join them. Which is how she found herself sitting at the bar at one of their favorite burger and beer places downtown. 

 

She was drinking one of her favorite beers, with Graham on her left side flirting with the guy behind the bar, and a stranger on her right who had been talking her ear off about some upcoming movie since he sat down an hour ago. Emma wasn’t all that interested- in both him or whatever this movie is- but she listened anyway. She didn’t have the energy to join the rest of her friends at the dart boards, and at least this guy wasn’t trying to flirt. So when he suggested she add him on Facebook before he left, she’d had enough to drink that she saw little reason to object.

 

It wasn’t until he was gone when she opened the Facebook app on her phone and realized she wasn’t one hundred percent sure of his name. He’d introduced himself when he first took the seat beside her, but that had been several beers ago, not to mention the loud music in the bar making some of his words hard to hear. 

 

It had been something different that she’d never heard before. _ Killiam James, maybe? _ she thought as she typed it into the search bar.

 

“I should’ve known.” Ruby appeared behind her, holding a glass of whatever she’d picked for her poison tonight. “Don’t tell me you came out just to sit on your phone by yourself.”

 

“I’m not by myself. Graham’s he-” She turned and saw that the man in question had apparently slipped off with the bartender without her noticing.”Huh. Or maybe not.”

 

Ruby sighed. “Come on, Emma. You know you wanna watch Mary Margaret kick David’s ass at darts.” 

 

That was a statement she couldn’t argue with. “Hang on. Let me do this first.” But Ruby instead grabbed her by the arm and dragged her toward the dart boards, causing Emma to hit “add friend” for the first option in her search results without paying much attention to the name or profile picture.

 

The guy from the bar and the friend request had been forgotten about by the next morning when she woke up with a pounding headache and wondered exactly when she’d started getting old.

 

The events of that Friday night didn’t cross her mind again until the next weekend. She’d gone to see  _ Captain Marvel _ with David and Mary Margaret, who were always willing to join her to watch any superhero movie despite both of them losing track of the plot at least half an hour in. It wasn’t the same as getting to experience it with someone as invested as she was, but years of going to the movies by herself when she was younger made Emma grateful for their company regardless.

 

They arrived at the theater early, battling the lines at the ticket booth and again at the concessions stand for overpriced popcorn and candy. The theater was already filling up after they’d gotten snacks. Emma stepped on quite a few feet to get to the only empty three seats together. Once they were settled, she pulled out her phone and opened the front camera. “Smile, guys!” Mary Margaret got the memo, but David looked like a deer in headlights in their selfie. This was definitely getting posted. 

 

She made a few adjustments to the lighting before posting the photo on Facebook and Instagram.  _ It’s Captain Marvel time! _

 

The lights in the theater dimmed as the first movie trailer began to play on the screen. Emma silenced her phone and dropped it into her purse before grabbing a fistful of popcorn and settling into her seat.

 

It was over two hours later when the movie had ended and the three of them had arrived back at David and Mary Margaret’s house before she thought to check her phone again. There was a new text from Elsa about the shirt she’d borrowed last week and a handful of social media notifications. She opened Facebook first to see the response to her pre-movie selfie. It was when she started scrolling through the list of various reactions that an unfamiliar name caught her eye. Of course since she’d tagged David and Mary Margaret in the photo, several people who’d liked it weren’t Facebook friends of hers or people she knew. But this one stood out- it belonged to a person she’d never heard of before, and one who was apparently on her friends list. 

 

Killian Jones. She frowned and clicked the link to open his profile page. They had no mutual friends, but sure enough, they were friends with each other. The brief amount of information listed under his personal details told her he lived in London and worked for a company named Ship Shape. 

 

Emma quickly began to question just how she knew this Killian Jones. They hadn’t gone to college together; his profile listed him as an alum of a university in London she’d never heard of. He wasn’t in her line of work, so that wasn’t a possibility. 

 

What if he had been a previous one night stand? No, that definitely wasn’t the case. She rarely got men’s names when those happened, let alone befriended them on social media.

 

And there was no way she would have forgotten a face like his. His current profile picture was taken from a distance on a beach somewhere, which made his features a bit harder to notice. The handful of previous ones were closer shots though. There were a few that looked like they were taken at some kind of professional event and a selfie with a dog she presumed was his. He was gorgeous, she realized as she quickly flipped through them. Piercing blue eyes, a head of dark hair that successfully toed the line between messy and polished with a five o’clock shadow to match. Yeah, she definitely would have remembered him.

 

Emma scrolled through a few more photos before she started to feel like she was crossing some sort of line. She had zero ideas on who this Killian Jones even was, and yet there she sat combing through the details of his Facebook profile as if they were close friends.

 

Contacting him seemed like the most logical thing to do. She opened Messenger, still annoyed that the feature wasn’t included with the regular Facebook app anymore, and typed out a brief message.  _ Hey. Sorry if this seems weird, but I was wondering how you and I knew each other? _

 

Her phone chimed with a response only a few minutes later.  _ Not weird, love. Although I was wondering the same thing considering you’re the one who added me. _

 

She stared at her phone screen and read the message again. There had to be some kind of mix up. Her friends list was on the small side, mostly former classmates and coworkers, and the people she regularly interacted with now. What reason would she have for sending a friend request to Killian Jones all the way in London-

 

And then it hit her. “Killiam James,” she groaned, remembering the guy from the bar the weekend before. If that was even his name. Emma blamed the combination of beer and loud music for the mix up, which explained why she’d added this guy with such a similar name.

 

What was she even supposed to say to Killian Jones now? The truth was ridiculous, and she couldn’t think of a lie that sounded even moderately believable. 

 

Honesty won out in the end. “What does it matter? He’s never gonna meet me anyway,” she muttered as she started to reply.  _ So, funny story. I thought I was sending a friend request to a guy with a name that’s really similar to yours and I just now realized my mistake. I’m sorry again because I know how weird this all probably sounds to you. _

 

She hadn’t expected another reply. He’d probably delete her from his friends list after learning the reason behind the mishap and forget all about their brief interaction. What she got instead was a huge surprise.  _ That’s quite alright. I suppose it could have happened to anyone. But, while we’re here, can I ask how the movie was? _

 

Movie? Oh, right. She’d gone to see  _ Captain Marvel _ tonight. His liking her photo was what started all of this.  _ I liked it a lot. Keep in mind I haven’t read the comics, so I don’t know how accurate anything was. But it’s a great addition to the MCU if you ask me. And the cat was awesome. _

 

_ I’m glad to hear that. I don’t know much about the comics myself, I just like the films as well. I’ll have to keep my eye out for the cat you speak of when I see it for myself. _

 

This conversation was already a positive changed compared to the ones she usually had about Marvel movies. Most people, men especially, would make fun of her or call her a “fake fan” when she admitted she wasn’t familiar with the comics and didn’t really have plans to change that. Not only was Killian Jones not making fun of her preferences, he actually seemed to share them.

 

Emma soon found herself discussing everything from  _ Endgame _ theories to the newest  _ Spider-Man: Far From Home _ trailer with him. It wasn’t until her eyes grew heavy and she started yawning that she realized it was after midnight. Had this guy really stayed up until five in the morning to talk superheroes with her? _ Crap. I just realized what time it is. I’m really sorry if I kept you up. You’re probably exhausted. _

 

_ No worries, Swan- can I call you that? As coincidence would have it, I’m a bit of an insomniac. I likely would still be awake now regardless. Plus, I work for my brother, so he can’t fire me for sleeping on the job unless he wants to lose his kids’ favorite babysitter. _

 

_ Swan is fine- after all, it is my name. Although I still feel like you may need to apologize to your brother on my behalf. _

 

Truthfully, she didn’t expect to hear from Killian again. Sure, they’d had a long conversation about a shared interest of theirs, but that didn’t mean he had any desire to continue talking to a stranger in the middle of the night. Or at any other time, for that matter.

 

Which is why Emma was caught off guard when she received another Facebook message from him a few days later.  _ Hello, Swan. I know it’s the middle of the day where you are so you’re probably working, but I just saw  _ Captain Marvel  _ with a friend of mine and I needed someone to discuss the end credits scene with since he’s not nearly invested in this. _

 

Their conversation soon left movies entirely and shifted to their everyday lives. Within the next hour, she learned that he was thirty-one, worked as a marketing executive for the shipping company owned by his brother, was the proud uncle of a nephew and two nieces, and spent most of his free time hiking or reading whatever fantasy novel was next on his to read list. Emma was more hesitant when it came to sharing specifics about herself for several reasons: talking about herself wasn’t exactly something she enjoyed, she barely knew this guy, plus, what if he really wasn’t the person he claimed to be?

 

_ If there’s one of us that ought to be suspicious, it’s him _ , she thought.  _ You added him first; you could be the one Catfishing for all he knows. _

 

Their once sporadic conversations soon became a nightly occurrence, switching from Facebook Messenger to texts once they felt comfortable with sharing numbers. (The short amount of time this took didn’t go unnoticed to Emma. She refused to let herself think too much about it.) Over time, it soon became easier to open up to him about a number of different things. Some days it was her favorite color or flavor of ice cream, others it was conspiracy theories she believed that dealt with people like Marilyn Monroe and Kurt Cobain. Emma rarely brought up her upbringing or personal life, and he never asked. 

 

On nights when Killian’s insomnia was particularly brutal, they watched Netflix together, one of the few pastimes they could share considering the distance between them. They usually chose comedies, preferring shows like  _ The Good Place  _ and  _ Parks and Rec _ so they wouldn’t miss much of the story if they got caught up in whatever conversation they were having at the same time.

 

The first phone call happened by accident when they’d been talking about three months. Emma had just got in from work and was debating between Chinese and pizza for dinner when her phone began to vibrate. She froze at seeing Killian’s name on the screen. Why was he calling her? They had never talked outside of Facebook and texts. Phone calls had never even come up once in their conversations.

 

“H-hello?” she answered after a moment. “Killian?”

 

“Oi, Jones, is this your girlfriend?” Not Killian then, although another man with an accent who sounded far from sober. She heard some sort of commotion in the background, followed by, “Give me back my bloody phone!”

 

“Um, hello, Swan.” His voice sounded exactly as she’d imagined. (Not that she’d spent that much time thinking on the subject. Not at all.) The accent was there, of course, but his voice was softer and he sounded considerably more under control than whoever had greeted her. “How’re you doing?” 

 

“I’m fine. Killian, don’t take this the wrong way, but why are you calling me? Where are you?”

 

“Well, you see, a few of us brought Liam to the pub tonight for his birthday, but I realized I’d forgotten to tell you about it earlier. I know you wanted to start  _ Brooklyn 99 _ tonight since we finished  _ New Girl. _ Anyway, I was in the middle of typing out a message to you explaining all of this when Will took my phone and called before I could stop him.” He sighed. Emma had a feeling Will would get an earful as soon as this conversation was over; she heard a lot about him from Killian, mostly complaints. “I’m terribly sorry, love. I’m sure this must be awkward for you.”

 

“It’s fine, Killian. I appreciate you for telling me, but I know you probably have better things to do on a Friday night than watch Netflix with a stranger in Boston.” Although that was the gist of their relationship from an outside perspective, Emma’s heart sank at her own words. She thought more for this virtual stranger than she did most of the people she saw in person on a regular basis.

 

“Don’t talk like that, Swan. Besides, it would’ve been bad form to leave you hanging without an explanation.”

 

She should have known he would be a stickler for manners, even for something as trivial as a regular Netflix binge. “Thanks, Killian. Seriously though, go enjoy your night out. Sing ‘happy birthday’ obnoxiously loud to your brother and maybe don’t let anyone else take your phone. We’ll catch up on Netflix later, alright?”

 

“Alright, love. Goodnight.”

 

The next time Killian called, it was intentional. Neither of them thought much of it.

 

The calls (via WhatsApp to keep from spending a fortune) soon became a semi-regular part of their “routine.” They didn’t happen as often as the texts, however, since it was harder to both talk and vaguely pay attention to whatever show they were watching at any given moment. Talking on the phone often made it easy to forget the difference in time zone and the ocean between them, even when Killian said something particularly British, like “tosser” or “knackered.”

 

She and Killian had their first shared experience with FaceTime the night before the surprise party she and Mary Margaret have planned for David. Emma had been asked to make cupcakes, something she now regretted agreeing to as she stood in her kitchen dumbfounded by the assortment of ingredients strewn out across the counter.

 

As if on cue, her phone vibrated. 

 

Killian:  _ How are the cupcakes coming along? _

 

Emma:  _ They’re not. _

 

_ Do I really have to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately? They all go in the same bowl in the end. And how much batter do I put in the cupcake liners without them blowing up like mushroom tops? I don’t get why I had to pick a recipe that calls for baking soda AND powder too.  _

 

_ Basically, I need to be able to snap my fingers and have a professional chef in my kitchen to take care of this. _

 

Killian: _ I’m no professional, but if you want to FaceTime, I could possibly help walk you through it. _

 

Of course he could. She’d quickly learned that Killian Jones was one of those people who was unfairly good at most if not all things.

 

Emma opened the camera app on her phone to get a look at her current appearance. An old Rolling Stones t-shirt that probably should have been thrown out years ago, her-square rimmed glasses, hair thrown up on the top of her head in a messy knot, and no makeup, not to mention the zit on her chin that she hadn’t gotten the chance to get rid of yet. It would have to do. They were friends, and he already knew what she looked like thanks to social media. And she didn’t have time or energy to freshen up before she got the stupid cupcakes taken care of.

 

“Here goes nothing,” she muttered. 

 

Her phone screen was taken up by Killian’s smiling face seconds later. “Hello, Swan.”

 

“Uh, hi.” Somehow he was even better looking in real time. It wasn’t fair. “You sure you’re up for this?”

 

“Come now, love. How hard can it be?”

 

“Consider who you’re dealing with, Killian. I almost cooked an oven mitt last week.” She didn’t add that it had happened due to their intense conversation on nineties one hit wonders and she’d been so distracted she hadn’t paid attention to where she’d placed the mitt after taking pizza out of her oven.

 

He barked out a laugh. “Something tells me chocolate cupcakes will smell much better. Do you have the recipe up?”

 

“Yeah. I’m sending it to you.”

 

Killian, being the good sport that he was, spent the better part of the next two hours going through the recipe step by step with her. Which was much easier said than done.

 

“You mean to tell me that not only do I have to mix the wet and dry ingredients separately, but I can only mix half of each together at a time?”

 

“Aye, that’s what the woman recommends.”

 

Emma had long since forgotten the name of the woman who’d posted the recipe online, but she had quickly become her worst enemy. “I should’ve just told Mary Margaret to make the damn cupcakes herself.”

 

“I highly doubt she could’ve gotten away with making cupcakes for her husband’s surprise party in their own house,” Killian noted.

 

How was it that he seemed to know her own family better than she did. “Yeah, well, then I should have bought cupcakes from the store and brought them to the party on one of my plates.” It would have at least saved the trouble of having a kitchen covered in flour, butter, and the other dozen or so ingredients she’d added to the mix.

 

She had just began pouring batter into one of the slots in her cupcake tin when Killian spoke up. “I wouldn’t do that if I were you, Swan.”

 

“Killian, I may have the cooking skills of a dustpan, but I do know that cupcakes have to be baked.”

 

“Right you are, but what about liners?”

 

“Come again?”

 

“You know, the paper things? You’re going to have an awfully difficult time without them.”

 

Of course. “Shit!” Hurling the mixing bowl at the wall now seemed like a great idea. “I can’t believe I didn’t think about that.” 

 

“Hmm.” She heard the sound of computer keys typing as Killian looked something up. “Do you have parchment paper? Several sites list it as a possible substitute.”

 

“Wouldn’t that look kind of tacky though?”

 

“You don’t exactly have a lot of options, love, unless you’re willing to make a trip to the store.”

 

Emma glanced at the clock above her oven. It was past ten. A handful of stores would be open, but she didn’t have the energy or motivation to change into decent clothes to leave the apartment. “Parchment paper’s fine, I guess. What does it say I’m supposed to do?”

 

He quickly walked her through the process, which was much simpler than she presumed. After cutting the parchment paper into squares and folding them around a glass that was the same size as the slots in the cupcake pan, the problem was solved. They rewatched one of their favorite episodes of  _ The Good Place _ while the cupcakes baked. She was so caught up in the show that she wouldn’t have remembered to turn off the oven if Killian hadn’t reminded her.

 

“So far, so good,” she told him once the pans had been taken out of the oven and placed on her counter. “They smell incredible.”

 

“Don’t rub it in,” Killian groaned. “The only form of chocolate I have in my flat is unsweetened cocoa powder.”

 

“Well, that’s just depressing.”

 

The icing process, while tedious, went over much more smoothly than the baking had. 

 

“Swan, you’ve got chocolate icing all over your cheek now.”

 

“Maybe so, but I’ve got two dozen nice looking cupcakes. Isn’t that all that matters?”

 

“I suppose,” he agreed. “Although you’re just giving me something else to make fun of you for.” 

He laughed when she stuck her tongue out at him. 

 

She’d gone this far without sampling anything, too concentrated on not botching the cupcakes. But the sound of her stomach growling reminded Emma she’d never eaten dinner. “You think I can justify having a cupcake now if I don’t eat one at the party tomorrow?”

 

“After all the work you’ve put in, I believe you could justify two.”

 

“You, Jones, are a bad influence,” she said, taking the nearest cupcake and pulling off the parchment sheet liner.

 

“A bad influence who reminded you of the importance of cupcake liners.”

 

“Ugh. I hate it when you’re right.” Emma took a hearty bite of the cupcake and couldn’t hold back the moan that escaped her lips. “Ohmgod.”

 

Killian was quiet for a moment. Then, “I presume it’s good?”

 

“It’s not good, it’s fantastic. I never thought I’d say that about something I made.” Another bite elicited the same reaction, her eyes closing as she savored the rich chocolate taste. This caused her to miss Killian blush as his eyes shifted away from the screen.

 

“Erm, well, I’m very glad to hear that.” 

 

The cupcakes, thankfully, are a hit. Several people at David’s party ask Emma for the recipe, a few eve complimenting the unique choice of liners. Her own brother was skeptical that she’d made them herself.

 

“I did!” she insisted. “I mean, Killian provided moral support via FaceTime, but all the manual labor was my accomplishment.” Her family and friends have known about her unconventional friendship with Killian for awhile now. Most of them went along with the idea, although a few were skeptical that her virtual friend was really the person he claimed to be.

 

“You and this guy have gotten pretty close, haven’t you?” David was one of those skeptical people.

 

She shrugged. “Kind of. I guess we’re as close as friends can get when they’re on opposite sides of the pond and have never met in person.”

 

“And you’re sure he’s not, what’s the word, fishing with you?”

 

“The term is  _ catfishing _ , David. And the answer is no, considering we FaceTimed during the cupcake ordeal and his face matches the one in all of his pictures.”

 

“If you say so. I just don’t want you to risk getting hurt.” He almost always went into Protective Big Brother mode whenever Emma referenced a guy in any capacity, and this was no exception.

 

“I appreciate that you care about me, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about considering the circumstances. The chances of the two of us meeting are basically nonexistent.” 

 

A few days later, they were on their third episode of _Schitt’s_ _Creek_ of the night and discussing each other’s uneventful work days when he brought it up. “So, uh, Liam has been talking about sending me away for work sometime soon.” 

 

“That’s cool. Does he want you to go back to the Dublin office again?” Emma remembered that he’d taken a short trip to Ireland for business not long after they’d became friends.

 

“Actually, no.” He paused. “He’s made a few comments about Boston this time.”

 

Any interest she had in the episode they’d been watching was long gone. “Oh really?”

 

“Yeah. Sometime next month, if nothing changes.”

 

Her next words were out of her mouth before she could stop them. “I know a semi decent tour guide who lives in that neck of the woods if you have some free time while you’re here. And, y’know, if you’d be up for that.”

 

“I think that could be arranged.” She couldn’t see Killian, but somehow she knew he was smiling.

 

Emma didn’t start freaking out until the day before his flight. She was at Elsa’s apartment with Mary Margaret and Ruby, drinking wine and eating Elsa and Anna’s homemade cookies at the kitchen table. She was on her third- okay, maybe it was her fourth- snickerdoodle, only half participating in the conversation when she glanced up and saw the three of them staring at her.

 

“Do I have something on my face?”

 

Mary Margaret gave her a knowing look. “Have you been listening to anything we’ve said?”

 

“Yeah, of course I have.”

 

“Emma, I just said that Granny was having surgery next month, and your response was, ‘that’s cool,’” Ruby deadpanned. 

 

Her face flushed red with embarrassment. “I’m sorry. Just have a lot on my mind I guess.”

 

“Is something goin- oh!” Elsa exclaimed. “Aren’t you finally meeting that friend of yours from London tomorrow?”

 

“Yeah. His plane is supposed to come in at two, then I’m meeting him for dinner and a little sightseeing before his meetings start the next day.”

 

“That’s really all you’ve got planned for him?” Ruby waggled her eyebrows over the rim of her wine glass.

 

Emma rolled her eyes. “C’mon, Ruby. He’s just my friend.”

 

“Your very attractive male friend, who you talk either to or about nonstop,” Mary Margaret added.

 

She shot her an annoyed glance. “I thought family was supposed to be on my side.”

 

“I am on your side! I want you to be happy, and I’m just saying maybe you should be open to the possibility that Killian could have something to do with that.”

 

Leave it to her sister-in-law to bring Emma’s love life (or lack thereof) into the conversation. ““Don’t get any ideas, Mary Margaret. I love that you’re an eternal optimist, but everything else aside, he lives over three thousand miles away. I never thought we would actually meet.”

 

“People do long distance all the time,” Elsa chimed in. “Anna and Kristoff did for several months when he was away doing research about climate change in the North Pole. It wasn’t easy, but they got through it and are happier than ever now.”

 

She wanted to remind Elsa that her sister and her fiance had been together for over two years before this, but disregarded the thought. “I know you all mean well- even though it seems like Ruby just wants me to get laid- but can we change the subject? Killian is my friend. That’s all there is to it.” 

 

Even as she said the words, Emma wondered for the first time whether that was actually true.

 

Her intention had been to sleep in the next morning since she’d gone ahead and taken the day off. But, much to her dismay, she was wide awake at seven. By ten she’d gone for a run, showered, eaten breakfast, and cleaned most of her apartment. It was tempting to blame the random burst of energy on wanting to be productive while she had the time to spend at home, but that wasn’t it.

 

She was excited to see Killian. And the closer that came to happening, it terrified her too.

 

For starters, what if they didn’t mesh as well in person as they did online or over the phone? It sounded silly just to think about, but maybe actually being in each other’s space for the first time would somehow change how their friendship worked. 

 

The conversation she’d had with her friends the day before wasn’t helping matters either. What they’d said shouldn’t have been getting to her like it was. Every argument she’d made against their insinuations about her and Killian had been true.

 

_ Then why have you barely paid attention to other guys since the two of you started getting close?  _ The thought came to her once she’d started walking laps around the apartment just to keep her busy. Dating for her had been a rare occurrence since Neal almost ten years earlier. Walsh was the one exception, and things with him hadn’t gone much better. One nighters happened now and then when she wanted to scratch an itch without having strings attached. But even one of those hadn’t happened in months.

 

She didn’t even know whether or not Killian had been seeing anyone. Her first assumption was no. He’d never once mentioned dating, and, regardless, he’d spent the majority of his nights over the past handful of months talking to her. His unconventional friendship with her on top of his job and his family didn’t give her the impression he had a lot of time for dating. 

 

Emma glanced at the clock on her phone. It was just after twelve. “Dammit.” Even with traffic, it would be at least another hour and forty-five minutes before she needed to leave unless she just wanted to drive in circles around the airport.

 

“Screw it,” she said at one-thirty after she’d won her fourth game of solitaire. TSA might give her hell about parking if she had to wait a bit for Killian, but she couldn’t sit around her apartment much longer without losing her mind.

 

There was a knock on her door just as she was pulling on her jacket and boots. She went to the door and found her brother standing with his arms crossed over his chest. “Hey, David.”

 

“Oh, good. I was hoping I’d catch you in time.”

 

“In time for what?” she asked. “I’m about to leave for the airport.”

 

“Yeah, I know. I’m coming with you.” 

 

He’d known she was going to meet Killian today for over a week and had yet to mention this to her. “What? Why?”

 

“I don’t want you going alone, Emma. It’s not safe; you’ve never met this guy.”

 

She rolled her eyes. “Seriously? I could understand if I’d met a guy on a dating site or something, but I’ve known Killian for months now, David. I’m pretty confident that I’m not picking up a serial killer.”

 

The frown on his face hadn’t budged. “Either way, I’d still like to meet him before I leave you alone with him. Gotta let him know what he’s dealing with if he hurts you.”

 

Emma checked the time on her phone again. “Ugh. Let’s go,” she groaned. “You’re not gonna let this go, and I don’t have time to argue with you about it.”

 

Any nerves she’d felt before had briefly been alleviated by the desire to strangle David. The drive to the airport was spent with her hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel so she wouldn’t wrap them around his neck instead.

 

“Are you gonna insist on spending the day with us too?” she asked as she pulled into the airport’s parking lot and looked for the garage for short term parking.

 

He shrugged. “Not sure yet. Ask me again once I’ve met him and had a chance to evaluate.”

 

“You’re insufferable, you know that?”

 

“I’m your older brother. That’s my job,” he insisted.

 

Emma parked in the short term garage connected to the airport. There was no point in trying to wait at the curb since she knew they’d be asked to move. She and Killian had decided to meet at the landside area, so she sat and waited for a text that he’d arrived and tried to ignore David tapping his fingers against the passenger door.

 

Her phone vibrated a few minutes later.  _ Hello, Swan. Just wanted to let you know I’m waiting for my luggage and then I should be good to go. _

 

Emma swallowed hard as she got out of the car on shaking legs. This was it. 

 

She was too anxious to object when David followed her out of the garage and into the airport; she’d known better than to expect him to wait in the car for them.

 

When they’d entered the waiting area, Emma quickly scanned the room for a familiar face, coming up short. This was the place where they’d agreed to meet, wasn’t it? He’d sent her the text just minutes ago confirming their plans. What were the chances the nerves had gone to her head and made her mix something up?

 

She was so lost in thought she failed to hear the footsteps coming up behind her. “Someone in particular you’re looking for, love?”

 

They’d FaceTimed on several occasions and shared more ridiculous Snapchats than necessary. Emma knew what to expect. And yet, somehow, she’d been all wrong. His eyes were so much brighter and vibrant in person, there was no way to accurately capture that on camera. There was a tinge of red to his hair and scruff she’d never noticed. She liked it. A lot.

 

“Hello, Swan.” Shit. His already perfect smile was somehow better in person too. It wasn’t fair.

 

“Killian. Hi.” How could she have talked to him for hours on end over the past few months and be at a loss for words now?

 

They stood in silence for a moment, each trying to take the other in. Emma wasn’t sure how she was supposed to greet him. Was their friendship advanced enough to permit a casual hug? Or should she stick to a handshake?

 

David solved that problem for her, stepping between the two of them and extending his hand to Killian. Emma had all but forgotten that he’d come with her. 

 

“So,” he said, using what could only be called his Protective Big Brother voice, “you’re the British guy.”

 

“Seriously?!” Emma hissed loud enough for only him to hear as Killian accepted the handshake. 

 

“Aye. And you must be David.”

 

Her brother looked taken aback. He must have been under the impression Killian had no idea he existed. “Uh, yeah. Emma’s mentioned me then?”

 

“Oh, yes, several times. She tells me you’re quite the Orioles fan.”

 

_ Uh oh _ . This had the potential to be a recipe for disaster. David did not take comments about his notoriously terrible favorite team lightly. If Killian made any patronizing remarks about the Orioles, any chance at getting on her brother’s good side was doomed. 

 

“I’ve caught highlights from a few games online before,” Killian continued. “Always admired Ripken.”

 

Emma let out an audible sigh of relief. Killian may very well have been lying through his teeth to appease David, but at least he’d avoided making a bad first impression. “Yes, well,” she butted in, “David’s just here for the ride. We’re dropping him off back at his apartment on our way.” She shot her brother a look that told him not to argue.

 

The first few minutes in the car were filled with awkward silence as Killian fidgeted in his seat, clearly used to a steering wheel in front of him on the right side, while she tried to ignore David’s presence in the back.

 

“How was your flight?” she asked after a moment as they headed in the direction of David and Mary Margaret’s building.

 

“All right. Bit of turbulence, but nothing terrible. The airplane food, on the other hand.” Emma saw him cringe out of the corner of her eye and tried not to laugh. “I’ll be more than happy to see what restaurants you have to recommend in the city.”

 

“Anything particular you’re up for? Most places aren’t gonna be busy at this time of day. And no, he’s not coming,” she added, glaring at David in the rearview mirror before he had a chance to chime in.

 

Killian pursed his lips. “Eh, would you judge me if I said I just wanted a good, American cheeseburger?”

 

She laughed. “That was the last thing I expected. But no judgment here, Tony Stark.”

 

“I’m perfectly fine with that comparison.” He grinned. “Genius, billionaire, playboy, philanthropist…”

 

“I’m sorry, _ playboy _ ?” David questioned. Someone didn’t know his movie references. 

 

They arrived in front of David’s building minutes later. “Okay, here we are, you’re welcome for the ride home, talk to you later, bye.” Emma must have gotten her point across since he got out of the car with no objection other than a shake of his head.

 

“I’m really sorry about that.” She glanced at Killian apologetically as she pulled back out into traffic. “I didn’t know he was going to show up and insist on coming with me, or I would have warned you.”

 

“It’s quite alright, Swan. He was just looking out for you. If I’m being truthful, not wanting you to be alone when you met someone you’d come across online isn’t an unreasonable request.”

 

“I totally get that to a certain extent, but I know you well enough to trust that you’re not, like, a serial killer. Unless you have something you wanna tell me.”

 

He barked out a laugh. “Rest assured, love, I have no blood on my hands. At least, none but my brother’s when we were lads.”

 

“Let me guess, it was always Liam who started it?”

 

“Sure. We’ll go with that.”

 

Traffic was light at that point in the afternoon, the two of them arriving at Emma’s chosen destination sooner than she was expecting. “This place might not look like much,” she told him as she pulled into a parking spot in front of Granny’s, “but she’s got the best burgers and fries, excuse me,  _ chips _ , in town as far as I’m concerned.”

 

“And grilled cheese and onion rings as well, I presume?”

 

“You’re a smart man, Killian.”

 

The diner was fairly empty as well, just an older couple drinking milkshakes at the bar and a group of college students crowded around a table with a stack of textbooks.

 

“Is there anywhere in particular you’d like to sit?” she asked Killian.

 

“No. It’s your pick.”

 

They took a booth near the back of the diner. Emma handed him one of the plastic menus and flipped through one herself, even though her order had been virtually the same over the years. Maybe it wouldn’t hurt her to branch out a little more with her choices, even if it was just getting a burger or chicken club instead of a grilled cheese for once.

 

A waitress came to take their orders after a few minutes. Killian requested the cheeseburger he’d wanted with fries, the American term sounding foreign on his lips. She ordered the same.

 

“No grilled cheese and onion rings? Are we sure this is the real Emma Swan?” Killian asked, feigning concern.

 

She shrugged. “I’m trying to live a little. And for someone like me, that’s apparently as simple as ordering a burger. Or maybe you’re just a bad influence,” she teased.

 

“Oi! I wasn’t a bad influence when I helped you make cupcakes in your time of need.”

 

“Yeah, yeah, technicalities.”

 

There was a long pause as Emma tried to figure out what to say next. She wondered if Killian was having similar thoughts. This was an easier problem to remedy when they were texting or talking on the phone and she could turn the conversation to whatever show they were on at the time. Even still, there wasn’t the added component of having him across from her to sense any awkward tension between them. 

 

Killian broke the ice. “I’ve been meaning to ask, Swan, have you ever seen  _ One Day At a Time _ ? Been seeing a lot about it online lately.”

 

“I haven’t actually.” She should have remembered most of their best conversations began with shows. “You know how I feel about good sitcoms though.”

 

“Aye. Perhaps we’ll add it to our unofficial to watch list?”

 

“I like the way you think, Jones.”

 

They talked for awhile about the season of  _ Schitt’s Creek _ they were working on until the waitress brought their food a few minutes later. The conversation had somehow turned to which of Moira’s wigs would look best on him. It was hard not to laugh as Killian nearly swallowed his beloved cheeseburger whole.

 

“Don’t judge me,” he said through a mouthful of fries when he noticed Emma snickering. “I was bloody starving.”

 

“Clearly.” She dipped one of her own fries in the generous pile of ranch dressing on the side of her plate. “Otherwise you wouldn’t have so easily done away with all that English charm us Americans aren’t civilized enough to have.”

 

“What do you mean ‘done away with’? I’ll have you know I’m always charming, love.”

 

“Says the man who has ketchup on his chin.”

 

Killian’s face reddened as he grabbed a napkin and wiped off said ketchup. It was barely enough to be noticeable, but she wasn’t going to pass up the opportunity to tease him a bit.

 

As they ate, the conversation shifted from shows to Killian’s work and what he’d be doing in Boston over the next few days. She didn’t know much about his job, other than that he worked for Liam and their company provided parts and equipment for ships. While the company’s primary clientele was located in the London area near their home office, they were looking to expand to other areas as well, hence the meetings Killian had flown over to attend.

 

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but why were you the one to make the trip instead of Liam?” she asked. “I don’t really know how a lot of business procedures work, but it seems like he would be the one to handle stuff like that considering he’s over everyone else.”

 

“Aye, you would think so. But the truth of the matter is, Liam’s tied up with so much within our office. Not to mention he doesn’t like making trips now since he’s got Belle and the kids. From both of those angles, it makes more sense for me to handle as much of the international business as I’m qualified for since I truly have nothing tying me down in London nowadays.”

 

Emma hated the way her heart skipped a beat at his words. If he had nothing tying him down at home, did that also mean there was no girlfriend there too?

 

(Could she ask him something like that without him seeing right through her?)

 

“That’s, uh, great,” she told him, trying to get back to the point of the conversation. “That you’re able to travel for him. I’m sure you get a lot of cool opportunities and stuff.”

 

“Opportunities like getting to eat an American cheeseburger while I have a face to face conversation about sitcoms?”

 

“Exactly.”

 

Killian asked a handful of questions about her job, how she liked her boss and coworkers, if she’d dealt with any major cases lately. 

 

“Not really. It’s mostly the usuals, cheating husbands and deadbeat parents.”

 

He frowned. “Pity situations like those occur enough to be ‘usuals.’” 

 

“It’s enough to make me want to throw in the towel sometimes if I’m being honest. These people are lucky enough to have a family in the first place, and they just throw it to the side like it means nothing to them.” 

 

Emma didn’t realized what she’d said until it was too late. While she’d become comfortable enough with Killian to share certain details about her personal life over the past few months, her upbringing in foster care was the one subject she’d avoided. She’d heard stories of his and Liam’s upbringing by their single mother, who died when Killian was in college. The only family she’d ever mentioned to  _ him _ was David, and he didn’t even know they weren’t actually siblings.

 

But that wasn’t a conversation she wanted to have at Granny’s in the middle of the afternoon. She wasn’t sure how much time he had free to spend with her, or when she would see him again. _ If you even will _ , she thought.

 

Sensing her discomfort, Killian reached across the table and gave her hand a squeeze. “Is everything alright, love?”

 

The feeling of his hand in her own stopped Emma’s train of thought. She almost hated how comforting it was. “Yeah, it’s nothing.” She gave what she hoped looked like a genuine smile. There was no need to waste her time with him focusing on bad memories. “What do you say we pay the bill and go do some sight seeing? Boston isn’t New York or LA, but it can be fun. I think so anyway.”

 

“Sounds like a plan, love.”

 

They bickered at the cash register over who was going to pay. Killian wanted to be a gentleman, Emma wanted him to feel like her guest in some way. She somehow won. “You can buy me a bear claw at my favorite bakery later if you really want to,” she told him as she swiped her debit card through the reader and he stood to the side pouting.

 

She and Killian were heading for the door when a familiar face entered the diner. The sight of Ruby made Emma consider grabbing Killian and hiding him. 

 

“Emma!” Her friends’ eyes lit up when she spotted them, red lips breaking out into a grin.

 

“Hey, Rubes. I didn’t think you were working today.” She would have taken Killian to eat somewhere else otherwise. Emma loved her friend, but something told her Ruby would have less of a filter than usual around him.

 

“I wasn’t, but Ashley had a doctors’ appointment and asked me to cover her shift.” She glanced around Emma to get a look at Killian. “Oh, is this the English guy? You didn’t tell me he was hot.”

 

The urge to crawl under the nearest table was tempting. “Uh, yeah,” she said, her face reddening, even more so when she realized it sounded like she was agreeing with Ruby’s comment. She turned to Killian. “This is my friend, Ruby. Granny’s is, well, her grandmother’s.”

 

Ruby held her hand out to him. “It’s so nice to  put a face with the name. Emma talks about you all the time.”

 

Emma shot her a death stare as Killian accepted the handshake and brought her hand to his lips. “It’s a pleasure, love. I’ve heard quite a bit about you as well.”

 

“Such a charmer.” Ruby’s grin widened. “I love it.”

 

“Yeah, well, we were just leaving, and I know you have to get to work.” She grabbed Killian’s hand and pulled him out the door before Ruby had another chance to embarrass her. “Bye!”

 

Emma groaned as soon as the door to Granny’s had shut behind her. “I’m sorry about that. She means well, but she tends to come off a bit strong.”

 

“No worries, Swan. I can’t say I have many objections with a woman who so freely acknowledges my good looks.” He smirked, and she couldn’t help but think how much she wanted to kiss the smile off of his face.

 

Which she wasn’t going to do. Because that would be ridiculous. “Yeah, I’m never gonna let her live that down.”

 

She moved her car to a free public lot and spent the next hour with Killian, walking around downtown Boston to show him some of her favorite spots in the area. She pointed out the precinct where she often dropped off bail jumpers, the library, her favorite coffee shop, and the bakery that made the best bear claws in town.

 

“You can definitely return the favor from lunch now,” Emma told him when they entered the shop and she caught a whiff of something that smelled like butter and cinnamon. 

 

“Whatever the lady wishes.”

 

“The lady definitely wishes for a bear claw. Or five.”

 

In the end she requested one, although Killian told the attendant to add another to her bag. “In case you’d like one for the weekend and don’t feel like making the trip.”

 

“Bold of you to assume I’ll let it go uneaten for that long.”

 

They sat at a bench outside the bakery since the weather was nice. Mid September in Boston was often ideal since it was still warm without being unbearably hot. Emma took one of her bear claws out of the paper bag and bit into it, letting the warm dough melt in her mouth. “You don’t know what you’re missing,” she told Killian, who had started eating his blueberry scone.

 

“I’ll take your word for it, Swan. You know I’m not fond of raisins.”

 

“Whatever.” She feigned disappointment. “More for me.”

 

It occurred to Emma that she had yet to ask another important question. She had no idea how long he would be in Boston, and if she would get to see him again after today. Killian had mentioned in previous conversations that he had a handful of meetings over the following two days, but nothing about what his schedule looked like or when he would be flying back. 

 

Killian picked up on her unspoken apprehension. “What’s going on in that head of yours, love?”

 

She shook her head, trying to clear her thoughts. Hadn’t she decided she wasn’t going to waste time worrying while he was there? “It’s nothing,” she insisted again. Killian’s expression suggested he didn’t believe her, but he didn’t press the issue.

 

“Did I tell you my nephew is into Peppa Pig now?” she asked, knowing he might like this change of subject. “He’s, like, fascinated with the British accents and tries to talk like the characters all the time now. It’s hilarious.”

 

His eyes lit up. “Is that so? I like this lad already. Although I do prefer Percy Pigs myself. It’s a type of candy,” he explained when her eyebrows shot up. A quick Google search provided a photo of what he was referring to, which was, as suggested, a gummy in the shape of a pig’s head. 

 

It was weird, if she was being frankly honest, but Leo would love them. “Kid’s definitely getting an order of these for his next birthday.”

 

Emma finished her bear claw and wiped her mouth with a napkin from the bakery. But she must have not done an adequate job. Killian leaned over. “You missed a spot, love,” he said, brushing his thumb at the corner of her mouth. Any reply she had was forgotten with the gesture as she became hyper focused on the brief but startling feeling of his touch.

 

“Uh, thanks.” The words came out raspy and uneven.

 

Her reaction seemed to make Killian realize what he’d done. “Apologies, Swan. I wasn’t thinking.”

 

She couldn’t stop herself from blurting out the question that followed. “What are we doing here, Killian?” 


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Massive thank you to everyone for all the love for this story so far. I was really nervous about posting it there for a while, so the likes, reblogs, kudos, comments, etc. have meant the world to me. Thanks again @thejollyroger-writer , @wellhellotragic , and @profdanglaisstuff for all your help a(nd for leaving questionable comments on the Google Doc to entertain me.)

“What do you mean, love?” Killian’s eyes widened. She could make out a bit of a flush on his cheeks, and was that a glint in his eye too? Or was she just seeing what she wanted to?

 

Emma’s pulse raced. There was an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach that she refused to call  _ butterflies _ . Maybe the conversation she’d had in mind wasn’t a great idea after all. “Shouldn’t you have checked into your hotel by now? It’s getting late.” It was barely four.

 

“Oh.” He averted his gaze, and whatever she thought she might have seen there was now gone. She had caught him off guard. Seeing a glint in his eyes was probably just her imagination, but regardless, the idea that she may have disappointed him stung. “I suppose you’re right. Bloody hell, I don’t even remember where it is I’m supposed to go.”

 

“I can drive you.” Emma stood and nodded her head in the direction of the lot she’d parked in earlier. “Just put the address in my phone. We should be able to find it easily.”

 

She was right. His hotel was a short drive, a relief since she was unsure how much time she could spend alone in the car with him without blurting out something else stupid.

 

“If you want, you can go ahead and check in while I get your bag out of the trunk,” she told him as they got out of the car. 

 

“That’s alright, Swan. You don’t have to worry about it.” 

 

“Really, it’s not a big deal.” It would buy her a few more minutes if had to say goodbye to him since she’d never got around to asking about his schedule while he was in the city. “Go ahead. I’ll be there in a minute.”

 

Emma took her time retrieving his bag, something that should have taken all of thirty seconds if not for her increasing paranoia. Was this the last time she would get to see him before he went back to London? The conversation she’d dodged earlier may never happen at the rate things were going.

 

When she entered the hotel lobby, Killian was at the front desk, in the middle of what was obviously a heated conversation with the receptionist. She took his bag to the side and waited to see what was going on. 

 

After a few minutes, he stepped away from the desk and came over to where she was. There was a sour expression on his face, his mouth twisted to one side. “Everything okay?” she asked.

 

“Not exactly. Apparently, the hotel lost my bloody reservation.” He ran a hand over his face and groaned. “The receptionist said they would try to find another arrangement, but it doesn’t look promising. Do you know of any decent hotels in the area?”

 

She started to name a few that came to mind and then paused. “I have a semi-comfortable couch you’re more than willing to crash on. If you’d rather not, that’s fine,” she added, seeing the surprised look on his face. “Just thought I’d mention it if you didn’t want to go to the trouble of looking for something else.”

 

“That’s very kind of you, Swan, but I’d hate to impose. I’m going to be here until Friday afternoon.”

 

At least she had an answer to one question. “You wouldn’t be imposing. No maid service, unfortunately, but there’s Netflix and a few pints of Ben and Jerry’s in the freezer.” Thank goodness she’d stress cleaned the apartment that morning. She would have died a bit inside if he’d seen what it had looked like before.

 

Killian laughed. “Granny’s, the bakery, and now ice cream- you really want me to gain weight on this trip, don’t you? But if you’re sure it wouldn’t be too much trouble, I believe I’ll take you up on that offer.”

 

It was during the drive back to her apartment that Emma fully started to comprehend what she’d gotten into. Having Killian stay with her for the next two nights seemed to have two potential outcomes: she could either act on her feelings and resume the earlier conversation the first chance she got, or keep them to herself and take the risk of spontaneously combusting in the process. The logical part of her knew avoiding the subject would only make things worse and surprisingly the part of her that was afraid of being hurt again even felt willing to take the risk. 

 

“Here we are,” she announced when they arrived, stepping in before Killian and giving the place a quick once over to make sure she hadn’t left anything weird laying around. “It’s clean by my standards, but I still feel like I should apologize for the mess knowing how picky you are.”

 

“I’m not picky. I simply have...odd preferences where my own flat is concerned.”

 

“Preferences like the handles on coffee mugs facing out at a perfect forty-five-degree angle in your cabinet?” She couldn’t remember what conversation had prompted Killian to share that with her, but she hadn’t passed up an opportunity to tease him about it since.

 

“Judge all you want, love, but I’m willing to bet I have a much easier time retrieving a mug in the morning than you do.”

 

Killian had a good point there. She usually just chucked hers in the cabinet and complained about them later. “Touche. But remind me not to let you get a look in my cabinets; you don’t need to have a heart attack before you’ve even hit thirty.” Something told her he didn’t need to see what the inside of her closet looked like either.

 

Not that there was a likely chance he’d be in her bedroom any time over the next two days. She refused to entertain the idea.

 

“You can leave your stuff in here by the couch if you want,” she said, leading him into the living room. “It’s not the nicest thing in the world, but it’s comfy. I’ve crashed there a handful of nights myself after a Netflix binge.”

 

“Did I have involvement in any of those?” She couldn’t help but notice the way his eyebrowed danced at that.

 

“Please, you had involvement in all of them, but not like that. Get your mind out of the gutter.” 

 

Neither of them were hungry after the late lunch and the stop at the bakery, so Emma suggested another Netflix binge for the meantime. The jet lag was also starting to catch up with Killian. He disappeared into her bathroom while she turned on the TV and came out a few minutes later wearing an Iron Man t-shirt and a pair of grey sweatpants that fit him entirely too well. She was convinced she could make out the muscles in his legs through the thin fabric. 

 

Not that she was staring. 

 

Maybe she was.

 

It was a struggle to tear her eyes away from him as she took a seat on her preferred side of the couch. 

 

“You can do the honors,” she said, handing him the TV remote when he sat down on the other side.

 

“Do you have any preferences?”

 

“Nah. As long as it’s funny, but everything we watch usually ticks that box.”

 

Killian scrolled through the lists of recent additions and what was currently popular. “Perhaps we could watch a movie instead for once. I’m assuming you’ve already seen  _ Thor: Ragnarok _ ?”

 

“Several times, but I’m always down for a rewatch.”

 

He flashed her a smile, and Emma had to remind herself to breathe. “I was hoping you’d say that.  _ Ragnarok _ it is then.”

 

The next two hours were pure torture. Okay, maybe she was being a bit dramatic. She got to watch one of her favorite movies with arguably her favorite person- and in person too, something she had never thought would happen. But that was also the problem. Her feelings had been so much easier to ignore when they were out earlier and she had other things to distract her from saying something she might regret. Now, they were alone together in her apartment, with only a few feet of space on the couch between them, while Killian wore a seemingly harmless outfit that gave her anything but harmless thoughts. 

 

And he would be staying tomorrow night too. It would be a miracle if she got through his visit in one piece.

 

“I can’t believe you’re not exhausted,” Emma told him when the end credits began to play. “It’s after midnight in London, and you haven’t yawned once.” Despite his usual insomnia, she would have still expected him to be somewhat tired between his earlier flight and the time change.

 

He shrugged. “I’m not full of energy by any means, but I wouldn’t say I’m quite ready to turn in either.”

 

“Are you hungry now? I’m kind of low on groceries until I get a chance to go to the store, but I think I’ve got a few bags of microwave popcorn. Unless you want the Ben and Jerry’s.”

 

Killian pursed his lips and considered the options. “Hmm. Something tells me the ice cream has more calories, and I’ve already eaten more than enough today.”

 

“Popcorn it is. You can pick out something else to watch while I make it.”

 

She returned from the kitchen a few minutes later with two bags of cooked popcorn, the opening sequence for  _ Ant-Man and the Wasp  _ paused on the TV screen. “I wouldn’t say it’s quite as humorous as  _ Ragnarok _ , but you’re always saying how underrated these movies are, and I can’t remember what happens in the last half.”

 

“Sounds good.” Emma handed him one of the popcorn bags and plopped down beside him on the couch, propping her feet up on the coffee table as he pressed play. 

 

It was about half an hour or so later when she’d finished her own popcorn and was working through what was left of his that she first noticed the considerable lack of space between them now. They were less than a foot apart; their thighs would be touching if one of them scooted over a bit toward the other. From this position, she could get a whiff of his cologne that she hadn’t noticed earlier. And his scruff looked particularly good in the dim light of her living room.

 

She swore to herself and fixed her eyes on the TV. Paul Rudd was not quite as enticing as the man sitting beside her, but he would have to do for the sake of her dignity.

 

Emma didn’t remember either of them falling asleep. But she woke up sometime later to a dark TV screen and her head on Killian’s chest. He was out cold. She could hear him snoring softly; he would be getting teased for that later.

 

Had she fallen asleep on him first? She would have had to. The TV would be back on the Netflix home screen unless Killian had turned it off himself. The thought of falling asleep on him didn’t concern her nearly as much as how much she liked it though. His arm was draped around her shoulders, feeling more like a welcome presence than the heavy weight she would have expected. The fabric of his t-shirt felt warm against her cheek, which rose and fell with every breath he took. It had been months if not years since she’d cuddled with another person (even if unintentional), and yet she was reluctant to slip out of his grasp. At this rate, with both of them on the couch, Killian would surely wake up with a crick in his neck, but if she got up, she might be able to maneuver him onto his back without waking him up.

 

_ It’s better this way _ , Emma told herself as the door to her bedroom clicked shut behind her. _ It would have been awkward for both of you if he’d woken up and seen you like that. You just have to make sure it doesn’t happen again.  _

 

(Despite how much she wanted it to.)

 

She woke up a few hours later to the sound of the shower running in the bathroom. A glance at the clock on her phone told her it was just after seven; entirely too early by her own standards, but she knew Killian’s first day of meetings would be starting soon. The idea of rolling over and going back to sleep was tempting, but she dragged herself out of bed and down the hall to the kitchen. Their options for breakfast were limited, but she could at least make them toast and coffee if nothing else.

 

The coffee pot had just started to brew when Killian entered the kitchen, wearing a navy button-down shirt and grey slacks. The fact that he looked so good in plain colors was almost unfair. “Good morning, Swan.” 

 

“Morning. Sleep well?”

 

“Aye. I suppose I was more knackered than I’d thought.” 

 

Her stomach dropped when she remembered the way she’d woken up and found them. “That’s good. That you slept well, I mean.”

 

But if he had any feelings about their brief sleeping arrangement (if he even remembered), he made no effort to mention it. “Anything I can assist you with?”

 

“There’s some bread in the bottom drawer of the fridge if you wanna put a few pieces in the toaster,” she said, nodding toward where it sat on the counter. “I’ll try to stop by the store on my way home from work to make sure we have something decent for dinner.”

 

“You don’t have to do that on my account, love. It’s not as if you knew you were going to have company for the better part of two days.” His hair was slightly damp from the shower and she could smell his shampoo when he stepped around her to get the bread from the refrigerator.

 

“Who said it was on your account?” she teased. “Maybe I don’t want to have popcorn again for dinner.”

 

Killian gave her a look of mock disappointment as he put two slices of bread in the toaster and pushed the lever down. “You wound me, Swan. And I thought you cared.”

_ If only you knew how much.  _ “Yeah, yeah. What time do you have to head out?”

 

“I’ll probably call an Uber a bit before nine, just to make sure I have plenty of time to find the place.”

 

“Sounds good. I would offer to drive you, but I’m not sure when I’ll be home after work and the store, so you’d probably have to Uber back anyway to keep from waiting. Remind me to give you my spare key before you go too.”

 

“Will do.” He gestured to the coffee pot, which was now full. “Is there perhaps a cup of that with my name on it?”

 

“Potentially. But look away while I get mugs out of my unorganized cabinet.”

 

“And you call me overdramatic.” 

 

Between paperwork and thoughts of her houseguest, Emma’s day dragged horribly. All she could focus on was that previous night with Killian and everything that had happened (and not happened) since his arrival. Other than the insinuation that he wasn’t seeing anyone back in London, she had more questions than answers. Questions about his feelings for her, about the chances of him returning to Boston again.

 

She left the office early that afternoon. There wasn’t much more that could be done until she went on her next stakeout, and the grocery store would be a madhouse if she waited to go when people started getting off of work. As she began making a mental list of what to pick up, she received a text from Killian. 

 

_ Meetings have finally wrapped for the day, thank goodness. I’m heading back to your flat to recuperate before tomorrow. _

 

Emma smiled when she read his message, both because of the obvious reasons, and that he would be around to put his cooking skills to use. 

 

_ Good. I’m buying stuff for us to make dinner before I come home.  _

 

She had planned to get something simple like a frozen pizza or premade meals for dinner, but he was inspiring her to step out of the box every once in a while.

 

An hour later, she arrived at her apartment with a load of grocery bags that she somehow managed to bring up in just one trip. Killian walked in from the living room in time to see her unbagging various items. He was wearing the same sweatpants from the night before, this time with a Metallica shirt and mismatched socks she would tease him about for at least the next six months. “Hello, Swan. What have you got there?”

 

Emma held up the jar of marinara sauce and pack of chicken she’d bought. “Stuff for chicken parm. I know you mentioned making it for Liam and Belle before. This recipe I found looks easy enough that I can help without causing a disaster.”

 

He raised an eyebrow skeptically, but she could see the corners of his mouth turning up. “You really have a lot of confidence in yourself.”

 

“For taking down bail jumpers? Yes. For cooking a decent meal? Hell no.”

 

“It’s not all that tricky, love.” He came over to help her unbag the groceries. “Especially if you pick a partner who knows what he’s doing.”

 

Something in his voice told her that ideology wasn’t just limited to cooking. Emma hoped he didn’t notice her face reddening at the thought of other possibilities. Did he know how difficult it was for her to keep her composure around him now? “Yeah, well, if this partner knows what he’s doing as well as he claims, he can start on the chicken while I put the other groceries away.”

 

Killian had finished mixing eggs and making the breading and parmesan mixture by the time she’d put most of her things away. The only thing remaining on the counter was a separate bag of groceries she’d put to the side. “Were you going to put those away too?” he asked when he spotted them.

 

Emma shook her head. “Nope. That’s for something later.” She had to bite her lip to hold back a smile; something told her he would get a kick out of what she had planned.

 

Her attempts at helping him cook their dinner lasted all of ten minutes when she came close to putting cilantro instead of parsley on the chicken. The only reason she hadn’t was because Killian had spotted the label on the side of the bottle. “I can’t even read labels now? Are we really sure I’m an adult?”

 

He had his back turned to her. He was probably laughing and didn’t want her to see. “They do look somewhat similar. It would have been an honest mistake, love.”

 

“One I’m really glad you caught before it was too late.” Emma had since resorted to sitting at the kitchen table and watching him boil pasta and prepare the now-browned chicken for baking. The way that he seemed to be at ease in the kitchen was something she doubted that she would ever understand. There was too much she could screw up at any given moment. “I feel bad that this was my idea and you’re doing all the work though.”

 

“There’s nothing to feel bad about. It’s a fairly simple dish.”

 

“Simple when you don’t have the cooking skills of a five-year-old.”

 

Killian paused for a moment. Then, “If you’d like, you can put the pasta into plates when it’s done.”

 

“I’ll try my best.”

 

The meal was great, something Emma was sure had to do with her lack of involvement. She and Killian ate at the kitchen table and shared stories about their niece and nephews. 

 

“You seriously lost a six-year-old in Disneyland?” she asked in the middle of his relaying an incident from their family vacation to Paris the previous summer. 

 

“Aye. Certainly not one of my finer moments. I was bloody terrified, both over where she was and what I knew Liam would do to me when he found out.”

 

“Well, you’re still alive,” she pointed out, “so I’m assuming he never did?”

 

“No, believe it or not. After losing my mind trying to find her for half an hour, I remembered she’d been going on all day about wanting to see It’s a Small World again. I found her sitting outside the entrance with Mary Poppins, who looked to be about three seconds away from strangling me.” Killian paused to take a drink of his water and laughed. “Y’know, Sophia has never said a word to Liam or Belle about the incident. But I’ve had the feeling since that she may very well use it as blackmail against me in the future if there’s a time when I don’t comply to her wishes.”

 

“Women are smart. Even the small ones.”

 

“Right you are, Swan. Right you are.”

 

Emma washed the dishes after they’d finished dinner, refusing to let Killian do so much as dry a plate. “You did all the cooking. Let me take care of this one thing I can do without causing either of us bodily harm.”

 

Even without his assistance, she finished the task quickly, eager to show him the reason behind the other groceries she hadn’t put away earlier. “You ready to see what that “something later” was now?” she asked, pulling the various items out of the bag and lining them up on the counter.

 

Killian came over from the table where he’d been looking at something on his phone. “Absolutely. It’s got to be more enjoyable than the double chin Snapchats I’ve been getting from Will all evening.”

 

“I think so. Although you may very well end up with a double chin if you go nuts with these.”

 

His brow furrowed as he took a look at the items on the counter. “Hmm. Flour, eggs, sugar, cocoa powder. Perhaps I’m making a wild guess here, but I assume you want to make cupcakes?”

 

“I do.” It hadn’t been part of the original dinner plan when she’d went to the store earlier. But one glance at the chocolate cupcakes in the bakery and she couldn’t pass the opportunity up. “I had a feeling you wouldn’t object since you got all pouty over not getting to try the ones we made last time.”

 

“First of all, I did not, as you put it, “get pouty.” I am glad you considered those a joint effort though. Sitting on the couch to watch you bake takes its toll on a man.”

 

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll see if legitimate cupcakes with me take a toll on you too.”

 

Mixing the batter was a much smoother process than preparing dinner had been, likely because she’d already done it once before. The steps she’d found tedious and annoying the first time around bothered her considerably less now. Maybe it had something to do with the added company.

 

(It had everything to do with that.)

 

“Is it time to get out the parchment paper, Swan?” Killian asked when the mixing was completed.

 

“Oh! I almost forgot.” Emma rummaged around in the cabinet above the oven and pulled out a pack of cupcake liners. “I bought these after last time on the off chance I’d have a reason to need them.” She didn’t mention that this was weeks before she found out he’d be coming to Boston, and yet she’d still chosen the blue and green ones knowing they were his favorite colors.

 

He flashed her a grin in response, and she had to remind herself to breathe.  _ Get a grip, Emma. You still have one more night to spend with him. _

 

“I’m proud of you, love. We may just make a skilled baker out of you after all.”

 

“Don’t get your hopes up just yet. I’ll be depending on you to make sure they don’t burn.”

 

Emma surprised them both by remembering to take the pans out of the oven right on time. “I’m going to remember this the next time you refer to me as a bad influence,” Killian teased. “My presence clearly has quite the effect on you.”

 

If he only knew.

 

Despite any improvements she’d made in baking, icing the cupcakes was no less of a mess than it had been before. Emma had changed into an old t-shirt, which was now stained with chocolate icing in several places. Her ego wasn’t quite as bruised thanks to the smudge of icing on Killian’s chin that he had yet to notice.

 

Twelve iced cupcakes and four more stains later, she asked, “Since you didn’t get a chance the first time around, why don’t you do the honors and conduct the first taste test?”

 

“I’d love nothing more.” He picked up one of the cupcakes, peeled back the blue liner, and took a bite that would have put her own to shame. “Bloody hell,” he muttered through a mouthful of cake and icing before quickly finishing the rest.

 

“I’m taking that as a good sign?”

 

“It’s a fantastic sign.” He used a paper towel to wipe off the bit of icing he’d gotten on his mouth. “Why don’t you find out for yourself?”

 

Emma chose one with a green liner and peeled it off completely. For some reason, she’d never liked eating cupcakes with the paper still on, even if it did make more of a mess. “Ugh, these are better than the last ones,” she admitted after her first bite. 

 

“Are they really?” Killian waggled his eyebrows.

 

“As much as I hate to admit it, yes.” She took another bite and made a sound that was somewhere between a sigh and a groan. “Damn you and your ability to be good at, like, everything.”

 

“Everything, you say?” She thought it was meant to be teasing, but when she looked up at Killian, he was staring at her intently, his eyes wide and lips parted.

 

Emma had two choices here. She could make a sarcastic comment and shut down the possibility of finding out if he tasted as good as his cupcakes. Or she could do what she’d really wanted to since he’d gotten off of that plane yesterday.

 

_ Screw it.  _ She grabbed Killian by the collar of his t-shirt and kissed him for all he was worth. 

 

Any shock he felt over it was quickly dismissed, one of his hands going to the small of her back and the other cupping her cheek as he returned her kiss.

 

She pulled away when she felt out of breath and Killian began to laugh. “What’s so funny?” she asked, frowning. That could either be a good or bad sign.

 

“I’m sorry, love, it’s just...apparently I got a bit of icing on my fingers when I was eating that cupcake, and, well, see for yourself.” 

 

Emma glanced over at the screen of her phone and saw chocolate smudges on her cheek where he had been touching her just seconds ago. “Damn. I should have been messier with mine so I could have returned the favor.”

 

“Good thing there are ten more cupcakes at your disposal.” He leaned in and kissed her again, this one short and sweet. “You don’t know how long I’ve wanted to do that, Swan.”

 

“Actually, I think I do,” she admitted. “But seriously, Killian, what are we doing? I know I asked you the same yesterday and chickened out, but we really do need to talk about this.” She motioned her hand between the two of them. “I mean, you’re essentially the best friend I have, we use a ridiculous amount of our cell phone battery on each other, and I don’t even talk to David and Mary Margaret as much as I talk to you....but is that it? Do you want to want things to stay like they have been for the past six months or-” the next few words felt caught in her throat. She really hoped that wasn’t what he wanted.

 

“If that’s what you want, then things between us can remain the same. But, frankly, Swan, I have no desire to pretend the last five minutes never happened.”

 

The corners of her mouth turned up, and he smiled back at her hopefully. “Good. I don’t either. But the question still stands: what now?”

 

“I’m afraid I don’t have a solid answer for that just yet, love. How about we simply enjoy the time we’ve got left together and figure out the rest as we go, eh?”

 

“If enjoying our time includes you showing me another kiss like that, I’m all for it.”

 

Her heart skipped a beat at his answering grin. How he could smile and look borderline sinful, she’d never know. “Oh, darling, I’ll show you anything you’re up for.”

 

The cupcakes were soon forgotten thanks to the heated kisses, soft touches, and shed clothing that followed. Turns out, Killian was great at eliciting noises from her for reasons that had nothing to do with chocolate.

 

It wasn’t until late that night when Emma’s sheets were in a tangled heap and they’d had a chance to catch their breath when a thought came to mind. “Killian?” She sat up from where she’d been curled up against his bare chest, paying little mind to the sheet that slipped off of them and pooled at her waist. “Why did you accept my friend request?”

 

He blinked several times as if questioning if he heard her correctly. “Come again, love?”

 

“You’ve known since the beginning that I added you by accident. But you’ve never said just why you accepted it.”

 

Killian was quiet for a moment as he considered the answer to her question. “I suppose you’re right. I remember that night somewhat vividly if I’m being honest. I couldn’t sleep, per usual, and was up watching some random documentary on YouTube when the notification popped up on my phone. There didn’t seem to be a reason for me to accept the request. I knew from the name alone that I hadn’t the slightest idea who you were. I probably spent the better part of an hour debating on what I should do.”

 

“And what made you decide I was worth the risk of accepting?”

 

He chuckled and scratched a spot behind his right ear, something Emma assumed was a nervous tic. “You may think I’m ridiculous for this, Swan, and rightly so, but I came to the conclusion that if someone as bloody gorgeous as you sent me a friend request, I’d be a fool to at least not give it a chance and find out why. That,” he continued, “and you were wearing a Groot shirt in one of your recent photos. I knew I liked you already.”

 

Truthfully, Killian was right- it was a little ridiculous. She may very well have laughed or rolled her eyes if he’d told her any of this when they’d first started getting to know one another. But they did know each other now, probably better than they knew anyone else, so it seemed easily forgiven. Not to mention she’d had similar thoughts the first time she came across his own profile. “And you had to wait another week to hear anything from me. I didn’t even realize we were friends until you liked that photo I posted from the movies.”

 

“If that’s what it took for us to end up where we are now, I’ll gladly like anything you post a hundred times over.”

 

Emma knew without asking that “where we are now” wasn’t just referring to the two of them being in her bed. “That might just be the corniest thing a man has ever said to me. And I adore it.” She all but threw herself back on top of him like she’d been earlier and kissed him, cupcakes and sleep both be damned.

 

She woke the next morning with a warm body against hers and an arm thrown around her waist. The alarm on Killian’s phone was ringing from where he’d dropped it on the bedroom floor in their haste to undress each other the night before. Any annoyance she felt over the blaring alarm was forgotten as memories from just hours earlier replayed in her mind. 

 

Killian’s arm tightened around her waist as he made some indiscernible noise. “Too bloody early,” he groaned, his voice muffled by the pillow.

 

“You’re the one who set the alarm.”

 

“It was a lapse in judgment.” She felt the bed shift as he inched over on the mattress and his arm tightened around her. “Wonder how cross Liam would be if I called and said I couldn’t make the meetings today, I had better obligations to attend to.”

 

“I think he’d fly over just to murder you. And I really don’t want that kind of a mess in my apartment. Getting blood out of carpet can’t be easy.”

 

“Your compassion is overwhelming, love.” 

 

“Always. Seriously, you’re gonna be late if you don’t get up soon. Why don’t you go ahead and shower and I’ll see about finding something for breakfast.” They had more options than toast and coffee now after her trip to the store yesterday. Emma got out of bed, still rather reluctant, and pulled on a pair of pajama pants with his Metallica shirt without thinking twice.

 

Killian sighed but got up anyway. “If the lady insists.”

 

“I think we’ve established how the lady feels about the mess Liam will make if you don’t.” She stuck her tongue out at him before leaving the room.

 

Emma had just poured the last of the pancake batter onto a frying pan when she felt hands settle on her waist. “Something smells delicious.” She couldn’t bite back a smile as Killian nuzzled her ear.

 

“It’s just from a box.” Truthfully, boxed pancake mix didn’t feel like much of a step up from toast, but it was one of the few things she’d trusted herself to make without major error.

 

“I’m not talking about the pancakes.”

 

Maybe breakfast wasn’t so important after all. She turned in his arms and leaned in to kiss him just as her phone started to ring from where she’d left it on the kitchen table. 

 

“Figures,” she muttered, glancing over to see the name on the screen. “It’s Mary Margaret. Go ahead and eat, this might take a few minutes. Coffee should be done by now too.”

 

Emma took her phone in the living room and answered the call. “Hey, Mary Margaret. What’s up?”

 

“Hi, Emma. I didn’t know what your work schedule looked like today, but Ruby mentioned something about the four of us getting drinks after work if you’re interested.” 

 

She would have been interested if it was any other day. Her work schedule (probably paperwork again) wasn’t the concern- with everything that had happened since the night before, she’d never gotten around to asking Killian when he had to leave. “I appreciate the invite, but I’m gonna have to pass today. Something kind of came up.” 

 

As soon as Emma said the words, she regretted them. Of course her sister-in-law would insist on an explanation. “What? Is everything okay?”

 

“Yeah, everything’s fine.” She might as well tell Mary Margaret the truth now; she’d find out soon enough. “Um, see, the hotel Killian was supposed to stay at lost his reservation, so he’s been at my place. I’m not exactly sure how much longer he’s going to be here.”

 

“He’s spent the night there? David said you two were just spending a day together. Oh, did something finally happen?!”

 

Emma was not giving a play by play of the previous night over the phone while Killian was in the next room. “Now isn’t the best time, but I’ll tell you about it later, okay? I’ll make sure I’m free for girl time one day next week.”

 

“You’d better!”

 

Killian was washing dishes when she came back into the kitchen. “I left some for you,” he said, nodding toward the plate of pancakes and cup of coffee he’d set to the side. 

 

“Thanks.” Emma retrieved her preferred coffee creamer from the fridge, wondering how he could stand to drink his black, when she thought of something. “Wait a minute. I forgot to set out coffee mugs. Does this mean you had to get a look at my cabinets?”

 

“Aye. As much as it pains me, Swan, I suppose it’s just one of those things I’ll have to force myself to overlook.” He tried to sound disappointed, but she could see the corners of his mouth turning up. “Thankfully, you do appear to have a few redeeming qualities to make up for this one tragic flaw.”

 

“Such a drama queen.” She rolled her eyes but walked over when he’d finished rinsing off his dishes and kissed him, Killian’s head tilting to the side a bit as he pulled her close. He smiled against her lips and she pulled back reluctantly after a moment, running her hands down his chest, the fabric of his dark grey button-down soft to the touch. “I’m glad to hear my lack of mug organization doesn’t have you running for the hills though.” The urge to slip her hands under the collar of said shirt was tempting, but they’d cut his time short enough already. 

 

(To think less than twenty-four hours ago, she was convinced Killian couldn’t know how she really felt about him. Now, they couldn’t keep their hands off of each other.)

 

“My love, it’s going to take much more than a cabinet full of disorganized mugs to get rid of me.”

 

His words were meant to be reassuring, but Emma’s heart plummeted as reality sank in. “I almost hate to ask, but remind me when your flight back is again?”

 

Killian pursed his lips. “Well, my flight was scheduled for this evening. But,” he added, “I don’t  _ technically _ have a reason to be back before Sunday night at the latest.”

 

“Oh?”

 

“Aye. You could be stuck with me all weekend...unless you’d rather not be. Which is perfectly understandable. I’m sure you want me out of your hair after allowing me to stay with you for the past two days, which I still feel as if I haven’t properly thanked you for, and-”

 

She cut him off with a quick kiss. “I’d love nothing more than to spend my weekend “stuck” with you, as you put it. And you should probably be heading out soon,” she continued, taking another glance at the clock, “but I’ll make sure you have a chance to show your appreciation for my hospitality later. Preferably multiple times.”

 

“I do like the way you think, Swan.”

 

Killian did indeed express his gratitude for her hospitality a number of times over the next day and a half. After they’d each finished their respective work obligations that afternoon, they’d spent the rest of the weekend in Emma’s apartment, either in her bed, on the couch in front of the TV, or in the kitchen where Killian yet again tried to salvage what there was of her cooking skills. He was being awfully stubborn in his mission to prove she was capable of making a meal without additional guidance.

 

“I don’t know why you’re so intent on making a culinary expert out of me,” she’d told him on Saturday morning right after she burnt herself trying to make French toast.

 

“Swan, I’m not even a culinary expert. I simply think you deserve better than to be satisfied with takeaway and prepackaged foods all the time.”

 

(One thing she’d quickly learned about Killian Jones? He hated Pop Tarts.)

 

On Saturday afternoon, Emma unceremoniously told him about the details of her life she’d always left out in their past conversations. Her abandonment as a baby, bouncing around foster homes with no sense of family for years until she found David and Mary Margaret, and why the people she tracked down who’d abandoned their families always hit so close to home. Her track record of failed relationships, first with Neal and then Walsh. 

 

“I think the distance between us is what got me to open up to you over time,” she told him afterward. They were curled up on her couch, the show she’d picked to watch having been long forgotten. “I guess I thought it would be more simple this way. If something happened, I could cut things off a lot easier than I could if we were in the same place. The chances of us actually meeting seemed so slim for the longest time.”

 

Killian took her hand and gave it a quick squeeze. “And now?”

 

“Now?” She took a moment to process the question. “Now, I’m just thinking about all I could have missed out on if we’d never met. I mean, those cupcakes would have been terrible.” 

 

The grin on his face when he leaned in to kiss her made her heart beat in a way that couldn’t have been normal.

 

Any discussion of where they would go from there was put off until Sunday morning. It was early, the sun’s rays just barely visible through the thin curtains in Emma’s bedroom. She’d meant to replace them months ago with blackout curtains to prevent early wakeups on her days off, but the time of day was easily ignored thanks to the warm body curled around her own.

 

“I don’t think we ever resumed that conversation from a few nights ago,” Emma pointed out. “Y’know, about exactly what this is that we’re doing now.”

 

“On the contrary, love, we most certainly did continue the conversation. Just perhaps not in a verbal sense.” He began to kiss his way down her neck and shoulder and she couldn’t help but laugh at him, both for his words and for making her realize just how ticklish she was.

 

Emma rolled over so she was facing him. “Don’t you think now is the time to actually continue it though? In a verbal sense,” she added, smacking his arm lightly when he wiggled his eyebrows.

 

“You wound me, Swan. But, aye. I suppose you’re right.”

 

“So are we doing this now? You and me?”

 

Killian smiled. “If that’s what you want, I’d love nothing more.”

 

“Of course it’s what I want. It’s just...I’m here, you’re there, most of the time, anyway. How does this work?”

 

“I suppose it can work the same as it has been since the beginning, love. We have some method of communication every day, we watch Netflix together, we tell each other what’s going on in our lives. The only difference would be counting down the days until I get to see you again. I’m not sure exactly when that would be,” he added before she could ask, “but we’ll work something out. I do have a fair amount of vacation days at my expense that Liam’s been hounding me to do something with.”

 

That alone was enough to alleviate a few of Emma’s concerns. Of course, she’d love to fly to London to see him at some point, but the lack of predictability that came with her job meant it likely wouldn’t be anytime soon. The only downside was the feeling that she would be putting considerably less work into the relationship this way.

 

_ Relationship _ . The casual way she’d thought about the term didn’t go unnoticed.

 

“You’d do that for me?”

 

Killian shrugged. “Eh. I’d do it for more cupcakes.” He laughed at the expression on her face before she kissed him.

 

Neither one of them had any desire to leave for the airport that afternoon, but Killian did have to head home as planned this time. “Liam will be at the office in the morning expecting to hear the results of my trip,” he told her while he packed his things. “Well, the results of his intentions for sending me over.” He shot Emma a wink and her cheeks reddened. If Liam was anything like her own older brother, his reaction to how they’d spent most of the weekend would be less than thrilled.

 

They drove to the airport in comfortable silence. Killian took her hand in his and rubbed his thumb lightly over her skin as she navigated through light Sunday traffic, Nirvana playing on the radio. Emma was caught off guard by his voice as he sang the words to “Heart-Shaped Box” softly under his breath. “Let me get this straight: you’re hot, funny, smart, a Marvel fan, can cook, and now you can sing. Do you fly too?”

 

“As a matter of fact, one of my coworkers is a pilot and offered to give me a lesson sometime-”

 

“Oh my gosh.”

 

She parked in the same lot as the last time, not wanting to be rushed through a quick goodbye at the curb. “Want me to walk in with you?” she asked. It felt less like a silly question and more like she didn’t want to let him go just yet.

 

“It’s fine, Swan. I’m sure you have things at home to take care of before work tomorrow.”

 

Killian wasn’t wrong. It didn’t make her any less disappointed. “Alright then.” She opened the trunk and helped retrieve his luggage despite his insistence that there was no need. “I guess this is it.” Her eyes flitted back and forth between his gaze and the concrete under her feet. 

 

“I’m afraid so.” There’s a bit of reluctance in his voice as he steps forward and wraps his arms around her. “Swan, you don’t know how bloody glad I am that Liam sent me on this trip.”

 

“I think I have an idea.” The lump in her throat was hard to swallow.

 

“I know this isn’t ideal and it might be tricky at first, but we’ll figure something out and I’ll be back to see you soon. I’m not sure when just yet, but soon, okay?”

 

Emma nodded, hugging him a bit tighter before pulling back and pressing her lips to his. “Have a safe flight. Text me when you’re back home?”

 

“Of course.”

 

She watched as Killian disappeared from sight. The desire to go back to her apartment alone was nonexistent, but the man she cared about knew of her feelings and cared about her just as much in return. The reminder nearly made up for the distance and the time zone that separated them.

 

There were two new messages in her inbox when she was getting ready for bed that night, the apartment now quiet and borderline solemn.

 

Killian:  _ Hello, love. Just got in a few minutes ago. I would ask if you’d like to watch something before bed, but I’m not sure how much longer I can keep my eyes open. Perhaps tomorrow? _

 

_ Oh, and I know you stole my Metallica shirt. _

 

Emma laughed, glancing in the mirror at the shirt she wore that still smelled faintly like his cologne.  _ It’s a date. And I wanted you to have an incentive to come back other than my cupcakes. _

 

_ Minx. _

 

_ You love it. _

 

_ I do.  _

 

She received another message not long after. 

 

Ruby:  _ Why am I just now finding out from MM that Killian crashed at your place??? Please tell me you got laid!  _

 

At least she had friends to keep her entertained until Killian’s next visit.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, yes, I know it's been a while. Sorry about that. All I can say is that retail management is hard and has taken quite the toll on my energy and my muse over the past few weeks. The good news is that things are starting to look up, and I expect to have the fourth and final chapter finished soonish. (Yes, it's four parts now instead of three. I can't believe I expected this to be a one-shot for a while there.)
> 
> Thank you for your patience! I hope you enjoy this chapter. Also, much thanks to ultraluckycatnd for providing beta duties <3

The first week or so after Killian’s return to London went by too quickly for her to fully absorb his absence. Between tracking down a high profile skip, dealing with a leak in her water heater, and helping David and Mary Margaret prepare for Leo’s upcoming birthday party, she had little energy at the end of the day for more than a brief conversation with him before going straight to bed.

 

As expected, her brother hadn’t been thrilled to hear from his wife that not only had Killian spent the weekend staying with her, but that they were now more than friends as well. She did think it helped that Killian had met David and gotten on his good side before any of this development happened. Emma would just tell Killian to bring up the Orioles if David ever tried to be intimidating again.

 

It wasn’t until things returned back to normal that Emma’s guilt began to sink in. She and Killian had made the decision to try being long-distance just days ago, and she already felt like a horrible girlfriend. (The term still seemed weird when referring to herself. A good weird, though, a weird that made her heart skip a beat and her stomach swoop whenever it crossed her mind. She hadn’t been anyone’s girlfriend in years.)

 

She shared as much with Killian during a phone call on the first night she had both time and energy to hold a coherent discussion. “Are you sure you’re still up to make this work with a girl who’s barely talked to you in over a week?”

 

“Love, I know you’ve had quite a few things to keep you preoccupied lately. Besides, I’m in this for the long haul. Even with your disorganized cabinets and liking for overly processed breakfast pastries.”

 

Emma didn’t have to question his statement to know it was true. He really was all in as long as she was willing. “Good to know. Although I’ll never understand what Pop Tarts have done to you to deserve such wrath.”

 

“Do you truly not pay attention to the taste while you’re eating them, Swan? It’s like chewing sugar-coated chemicals.”

 

“And I love them.”

 

Their routine soon went back to what it had been before Killian’s visit: late night calls, Netflix binges, a FaceTime session when he tried to walk her through a lasagna recipe for dinner at Ruby’s. The only difference was the sense of longing that inevitably set in after being together and then apart from the person she’d come to care for more than she’d thought was possible. 

 

It was so different before. She hadn’t known what it was like to look him in the eyes, to share space with him, to kiss him and feel his skin against her own. Emma often had to remind herself to take just one step at a time. While their relationship might have been a long time coming, it was still new and they were only just beginning to figure out the specifics of this thing between them. Of course it felt normal to miss him, but she was making an effort not to be one of those people who spent every waking moment thinking about their significant other. Some days were harder to do that than others, but it didn’t hurt that she had a job and family and friends to keep her busy when they weren’t spending time with each other.

 

Killian gave her the news at the beginning of October. It was a Tuesday that felt more like a Monday- her coffee pot had kicked the bucket that morning, she had fallen while chasing a skip later that day and torn a hole in her favorite pair of jeans, and she’d been dealing with cramps from hell all day.

 

She was relaying all of this to Killian over the phone when she arrived home that evening. Upon entering her apartment, she’d dropped her bag and coat in the hallway and made a beeline for the freezer, her phone tucked between her chin and shoulder as she dug out the pint of Phish food she’d been saving for a special (or particularly awful) occasion. The only thing she’d eaten for lunch was a salad with stale crackers, so it felt like she earned this.

 

“So, basically, I just wanna eat my ice cream and watch Netflix and ignore the rest of the world unless it has good news for me.”

 

“I’m sorry you had such a rubbish day, love,” said Killian. “Although I do have something to share that you might consider good news.”

 

“Please, I’m all ears.”

 

“Well, I suppose I should ask first if you’re doing anything the last weekend of the month?”

 

Emma glanced up at the calendar hanging on her fridge that she haphazardly scribbled appointments and birthdays on from time to time. Nothing was written down for the days he’d mentioned. “I’m all clear.”

 

“Good. I was hoping you might be up for having company.”

 

It took her a moment to process his words. “Wait, seriously?!”

 

“Aye. Liam and I finally got a chance to discuss those vacation days I mentioned to you before I left. Luckily enough, this seems like the best time to use them before everything picks up for the holidays.”

 

Killian was right, he had mentioned trying to visit again sooner than later on that morning she’d taken him to the airport. She’d known he was serious, but hadn’t expected him to work things out quite so soon. “So I can have you to myself all weekend again?”

 

“Indeed. We can make cupcakes again if you want.”

 

“So you’re staying at my place again  _ and _ expecting to get lucky? Making me chocolate cupcakes is the least you can do, Jones.”

 

Their routine saw little change over the next few weeks aside from the excitement of knowing when they would get to see each other again. Of course some things were still tricky, especially when there would be an unexpected change in their work schedules or social lives, but the distance and time spent apart were a bit easier to deal with by a glance at her calendar and the red circle she’d marked around that particular weekend.

 

Emma was at the bathroom sink getting ready for bed when a Voice Calling request from WhatsApp popped up on her phone screen. It wasn’t a surprise to see Killian’s name since he was the only person she used the app to talk to, but she hadn’t expected to hear from him so late the night before his flight to Boston.

 

She finished washing her makeup off and quickly patted her face dry with a towel before answering. “Killian?”

 

“Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday, dear Emma, happy birthday to you.”

 

“Barely midnight and I’m getting serenaded to already? Twenty-eight is off to a great start.” She knew Killian would be gloating if he could see the grin on her face. “Thank you, Killian. But why are you awake? Insomnia aside, it’s five in the morning for you, and you have a flight this afternoon.”

 

“I’ll sleep on the plane. Besides, I’d feel like a sorry boyfriend if I wasn’t the first person to tell you happy birthda-” the sentence was cut off as she heard him yawn through the phone.

 

“Uh huh. Argue all you want, but I think you need to sleep now.”

 

Killian sighed. “Perhaps you’re right, love.”

 

“Of course. Either way, it’s my birthday; being right about everything is part of the territory.” He knew better than to object. “Thank you again for calling, but seriously, go to bed. I’ll see you at the airport this afternoon.”

 

“I’ll be counting the minutes, my love.”

 

Emma never would have pictured herself to be the kind of person who ran through a crowded airport to throw her arms around someone. (She’d probably made fun of people who did as much on occasion.) Yet that’s exactly what she did the moment she saw Killian enter the waiting area that afternoon. The excitement of being with him again drowned out any rational thoughts as she bolted towards him and nearly knocked him over with the impact of her hug.

 

She heard his bag drop to the floor beside them as he pulled her close. “Bloody hell, this is quite the welcome.”

 

“Sorry.” She quickly pulled back. Her face burned with the realization of what she must have looked like, all but throwing herself at a man she’d been dating no more than a month. Was she going to make him regret coming to see her before they even made it out of the airport?

 

“Hey.” She’d glanced down, but Killian placed a finger under her chin and tilted her head up until their eyes met. “I’m not complaining. It’s nice to see you apparently missed me as much as I did you.” He leaned in to catch her lips in a quick kiss, chaste considering the location, but enough to leave her head spinning. “Happy birthday, Swan.”

 

“Thank you. Even if there’s not a song to go along with it this time.”

 

“I could still sing for you if you want. Who knows, someone might record it and we could go viral.”

 

“That’s sweet, but I’m content with living in anonymity for now.”

 

“Suit yourself, love.”

 

They headed back to her apartment where Emma suspected they would remain for the rest of the day. Killian had insisted on taking her to do something for her birthday while he was there, but she’d suggested they at least wait until Thursday- he would have denied her claims if she mentioned it, but she could tell he was exhausted, whether it be from jet lag, overall lack of sleep, or both. There were noticeable lines around his eyes and she knew he yawned quite a few times on the drive home when he thought she wasn’t looking.

 

But any evidence of his fatigue was gone the moment they entered her apartment. As soon as the door shut behind them, Killian captured her lips in a kiss that made her head spin, his hands going to her waist as he pressed her up against the wall. 

 

The kiss was somehow soft, but not without the burning passion she’d felt the last time they’d kissed,  _ really _ kissed, brief, chaste moments at the airport not included. This time, she wasn’t worried over her feelings for him or getting ready to tell him goodbye. He was there, he cared about her, he  _ wanted _ her, and they had each other to themselves for the next four days. Emma’s hands went to his shoulders and she sighed happily against his lips.

 

She broke the kiss when the need to breathe became unbearable. “Wow. I guess I really was missed.”

 

“You have no idea. I wanted to do that at the airport, but, y’know, public indecency and all,” he smirked.

 

“Good thing we’re not in public anymore then.” She kissed him again before he could respond. 

 

They didn’t make it to her room this time, all but collapsing onto the couch and coming together, the culmination of their time apart and anticipation over finally being reunited again. It wasn’t unlike the kiss they’d just shared, soft and tender yet providing the realization that no one had ever been able to set Emma’s pulse racing quite like him.

 

“Yeah, maybe it’s a good thing you didn’t kiss me like that at the airport.” After, she and Killian had both changed into sweatpants and settled in front of the TV. He had chosen one of their favorite episodes of  _ The Office  _ and she laid curled up against his side, her head pillowed on his chest.

 

“I told you, love.”

 

The episode was halfway over when he asked, “Why am I feeling as if we’re a middle aged couple who does nothing but sit in front of their TV?” He attempted to fein concern, but she could tell he found it funny.

 

Emma laughed. “Because that’s usually what we do. TV is easy to bond over. I have a few things in mind we can do this weekend since you won’t have work stuff though.” 

 

“Aye. I like my job, but I must admit it’s nice to not have to worry about it for a few days.”

 

“Yeah, you have me to take up your time instead.”

 

“I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

 

The rest of their evening saw no differences other than ordering a pizza for dinner, and Killian nodding off on her shoulder just after eight. It was all Emma could do to pull him up off of the couch and guide him down the hall to her room in his half-asleep state. He collapsed onto the bed without ceremony, snoring before his head hit the pillow. She couldn’t help but smile as she snapped a picture for him to see later before crawling under the covers to join him. 

 

Killian’s reaction to her alarm the next morning was not unlike his feelings toward his own the morning after their first night together. “Make it stop, love,” he groaned, voice thick with sleep as her phone rang incessantly.

 

She rubbed her eyes and reached over to grab her phone from the nightstand, disabling the alarm. The noise abruptly stopped. Killian let out a sigh of relief, then groaned again when she made to get up. His arm snaked around her waist and pulled her back down to him. “C’mon, Swan. Five more minutes?” 

 

Emma rolled her eyes at him. (Or she thought she did; in her caffeine deprived state, she couldn’t be sure of anything just yet.) He sounded more like a child than a grown man in his thirties. “Uh uh. I know how this works: five minutes turns into fifteen, then thirty. Next thing you know, I’m an hour late for work.”

 

“Aye, but don’t you technically make your own hours?”

 

“Most of the time, yes. But I need to go in and take care of some things for this case so I won’t have to worry about it over the weekend. Trust me, I have no desire to work today either, but this afternoon, I’ll be all yours until Sunday.”

 

“Good to know. If I recall correctly, we still have a birthday to celebrate.”

 

“Sure do.” She leaned over and kissed him before finally getting out of bed. “I’m gonna go take a shower, so why don’t you try to go back to sleep? I’ll make sure to come tell you bye before I leave.” 

 

He yawned and mumbled something that sounded like, “If you insist,” before rolling over onto his side. His breathing had evened out again before she left the room.

 

She left her spare key on the kitchen counter for Killian for when he became tired of sitting around in the apartment. It wasn’t much of a surprise when she received a text around lunchtime. 

 

_ Hello, Swan. I hope your work day is going smoothly. I’m going for a walk around the city to get some fresh air and caffeine. Anything you’d like for me to bring back?  _

 

_ Just yourself. Something tells me I’m going to be ready to leave for a good meal as soon as I get home tonight. _

 

_ No Granny’s this time? _

_ Nope. I love Ruby, but there’s no way I’m giving her an opportunity to invade this time. _

 

_ Good point. _

 

She left work as soon as she could and went back to the apartment to get ready for the birthday dinner Killian had talked her into. They still hadn’t decided on a restaurant, which Emma realized would probably come to be a problem if they tried to go somewhere popular without a reservation beforehand. She wasn’t all that concerned about it though. The main thing was getting to celebrate with him, and most of her favorite restaurants in the city may not be likely to draw a huge crowd on a Thursday night.

 

Killian was on the couch flipping through her battered copy of  _ Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone _ when she entered the apartment. “Nice choice. But I assume you’ve read that, like, a million times being English and all,” she commented, plopping down beside him and pressing her lips to his cheek. 

 

He was wearing a black button-down shirt and jeans. Emma found herself wondering yet again how such simple colors suited him so well. (So well to the point that she almost considered suggesting they stay home for the evening.) 

 

“Oh, I’d say I’ve read them about half a dozen times at least. I was simply curious to see if there were any significant changes to your addition, other than the whole “sorcerer’s stone instead of philosopher’s” thing.”

 

“And what’s the verdict?”

 

“Eh, most of the fundamental aspects are the same. The only thing I’ve really noticed is a few English terms they changed for the American edition- nap instead of lie-in, elevator instead of lift. And taking the “u” out of words like “color” and “favorite”.” 

 

Emma didn’t think she’d ever get over the way American terms sounded coming from him. She’d always had a thing for accents, and Killian’s was no different. Not that she planned on giving him the satisfaction of saying as much.

 

“As much as I actually want to sit and hear more about this, I’m starving. Give me a bit to get ready and I’ll be good to go.”

 

“Take your time, love. Any idea where you’d prefer to go yet?”

 

“I’m thinking Italian. There’s a place nearby that makes this really great margherita pizza I haven’t had in awhile. It’s great.”

 

“Sounds like a plan...as long as you’re not one of those people who likes pineapple on pizza. I may have to consider this whole relationship if that’s the case.”

 

“Have a little faith in me, Killian. I’m not that weird.”

 

“Just weird enough to nearly cook an oven mitt and confuse parsley with cilantro?” 

 

He chuckled as she whacked his arm with a couch cushion before standing and heading to her room to get ready. “It’s a good thing you’re cute.”

 

After a quick shower, Emma changed into jeans and one of her nicer blouses. She hadn’t felt like taking the time and effort to wash her hair, so it was hastily styled into a braid that fell over her right shoulder. The only makeup she bothered with was mascara and lip gloss, taking advantage of her skin being clear that day.

 

“Okay, I’m ready,” she told Killian, entering the living room after she’d pulled on a pair of ankle boots and her red leather jacket.

 

She would have sworn his eyes lit up a bit when he looked up and saw her. Despite his constant physical and verbal affection since they’d gotten together, it still came as a surprise at times that he truly wanted her and shared her feelings. It was enough to make her feel like she could melt into a puddle right there on the living room floor. 

 

(Or maybe not. They’d established during his last visit that making big messes in her apartment was a bad idea. The melting would have to be kept to a minimum.)

 

Killian set the book to the side and stood, pulling on his own leather jacket that had been draped across the coffee table. She walked over to him and he kissed her softly, taking her hand and giving it a brief squeeze. “You look stunning, Swan.”

 

“Thanks.” Emma ran her hand up and down his arm, the material of his jacket surprisingly soft. “You don’t look too bad yourself.”

 

“I know.” He smirked and she whacked her arm playfully against his chest.

 

“Looks like modesty isn’t one of your biggest traits.”

 

He considered the thought for a moment. “Perhaps not, but I make  _ exceptional _ cupcakes.”

 

The way his eyebrows waggled almost made Emma reconsider going out after all. But the restaurant didn’t deliver, and she wanted her damn birthday pizza. They had almost three days left to hide away in the apartment and test his cupcake making abilities.

 

They opted to walk to the Italian place she’d chosen. She knew better than to try looking for a parking spot downtown at that point in the evening, and there was no need to call an Uber to drive them a handful of blocks away.

 

Much to Emma’s relief, the restaurant wasn’t busy when they arrived, the typical after work dinner crowd already come and gone it seemed. The waiter gave them a table in the room’s front corner, a choice that both gave them a bit of privacy and allowed them to observe anything happening on the streets outside.

 

She didn’t hesitate to order the biggest margherita pizza on the menu. Killian had already told her earlier that’s what he wanted too, and it was her birthday. Well, technically not anymore. But that wouldn’t prevent her from acting like it was all weekend.

 

While they waited, Emma told him how she’d discovered the restaurant with her friends a few years earlier. “It was Mary Margaret’s bachelorette party. We’d been at the bar, but I got us kicked out when some creep tried to get handsy with Ruby and I stepped in and punched him. Yes, the owner cared more about defending the guy more than he did the fact that he’d harassed her,” she added at the disturbed look on Killian’s face. “Anyway, we were all tipsy and pissed off and hungry when we left, and somehow ended up here and ate our weight in pizza until about two in the morning.”

 

“It sounds as if your evening ended on a pleasant note at least. Although I hope both of those blokes got their arses handed to them later.”

 

“Oh, that’s the best part. The bar closed down due to bankruptcy a few months later, and not long after, I got to drag the other guy in for not showing up at his court date.”

 

Killian barked out a laugh. “Good riddance. You are incredible, Swan.”

 

He laughed again at her giddy reaction when the pizza was brought out a few minutes later, even snapping a picture on his phone when he thought she wasn’t looking. 

 

“Judge all you want.” She pulled off a slice and took a rather generous bite, savoring the taste of mozzarella and tomatoes. “You know food makes me happy,” she added, the words muffled through the pizza.

 

“Aye, that’s why I took the photo. I happen to quite like seeing you happy, about food or otherwise.” And he meant it. Emma had always been the type to deflect compliments or nice remarks from men, instead questioning what it was that they hoped to get from her in return. But she’d never felt the need to do that with Killian. Everything he said to her was honest and genuine, and for the first time in years, she was in a relationship where she felt truly at ease.

 

(Did she love him?)

 

“You make me happy.” It was the closest she could get to summing up her thoughts without overthinking it. Maybe she did love him, if she was being honest with herself, but that didn’t mean she needed to blurt out the words over pizza when they’d barely been dating a month. 

 

Before she could overthink things, Emma quickly changed the subject to his job and the projects he and Liam had been working on. If she were being honest, she didn’t fully understand what the company did outside of the basic facts, but she still enjoyed listening to him talk about his responsibilities and the business deals they made. Maybe she was biased, but she knew without a doubt that Killian was great at what he did based on his knowledge of the basic mechanics of ships and the effort he put into his responsibilities. He was pretty fantastic, and yet somehow, he wanted to be with her.

 

(Yeah, she loved him. It was pointless to tell herself any different. She was a goner, and had been for awhile now.)

 

Dinner was followed by gelato from an ice cream shop down the street and a walk around the neighborhood, their fingers intertwined as Emma pointed out a few things and places she hadn’t shown him during his last visit. It occurred to her that the two of them probably looked like one of those couples from a Hallmark movie that she’d rolled her eyes at countless times before. Now, it only made her smile and give his hand an affectionate squeeze. How had she become such a romantic now?

 

“Have you enjoyed your evening, Swan?” Killian asked when they returned to the apartment later.

 

Emma kicked off her boots as soon as the door shut behind them. “Of course. Hot guy and good food, what’s not to love?” 

 

It was hard not to laugh at the expression on his face when she made no move to pick up her shoes. She could almost see him itching to grab them up off the floor and put them in their designated place on her shoe rack. (As if she had a shoe rack. More like a shoe pile at best.) The irony of someone like her dating a neat freak was not lost on Emma. At least he was a good sport.

 

“I’m glad to hear that. Which reminds me, I have something in my suitcase for you.”

 

“You do? Why?” She dropped unceremoniously onto the couch and propped her socked feet up on the coffee table, Killian following suit. 

 

“Honestly, love, did you really think I was coming to help celebrate your birthday without bringing you something to commemorate the occasion?”  

 

Frankly, yes. Hadn’t he already gone to enough trouble just by taking the time off and flying out to Boston? She told him so and he shrugged. “I wouldn’t call that trouble. I wanted to see you, after all.”

 

“Still,” she insisted, “you didn’t have to get me anything.”

 

“I know I didn’t, but I wanted to. I think you might get a kick out of it too.”

 

“Okay, you’ve got my attention now.”   
  


“In that case, I might as well show you. Just a moment, love.”

 

Killian disappeared into the bedroom and returned with a square white box in his hands. “I hope you’ll forgive me for the lack of festive wrapping; I worried it would look worse for wear after being tucked in my suitcase.”

 

“Considering I don’t even try to wrap presents that aren’t Leo’s anymore, you are forgiven.”

 

He handed her the box after sitting back down. Emma quickly pulled off the lid and let out an excited giggle when she saw what was inside. “Is this what I think it its?”

 

It was a Funko Pop figure of Goose from  _ Captain Marvel _ , the cat she’d mentioned her liking for during their first conversation via Facebook. Except this version had its mouth wide open with Flerken tentacles protruding from it.

 

“Aye. I remembered Goose being one of your favorite things about the film and couldn’t pass this up when I came across it online. Of course they have a version that makes him look like an ordinary cat, but something told me you might prefer this one for its, how would you say it, badassery?”

 

Emma laughed again at the sound of the word coming from his lips. “Badassery indeed. Thank you, Killian. This is great.”

 

“You really like it?”

 

“Of course I do. You’re so ridiculously thoughtful. I love you.” 

 

It took her a moment to realize what she’d just said, the words leaving her lips without restraint. She quickly looked away from Killian, but not soon enough to see the way he stared at her, eyes wide and lips parted, clearly just as surprised. 

 

Oh boy. She’d gone and blown it now, and just when things were going so well. Just because she’d started to accept the extent of her feelings when they were at the restaurant earlier didn’t mean she needed to turn around and tell him all of this so soon.

 

“I, erm,” Emma stammered, trying to hide her embarrassment. “I just meant-”

 

She was cut off as Killian leaned in to kiss her. This must be a good sign, she thought as his hands cupped her face softly.

 

“Did you mean that, Swan?” he asked when they pulled apart a moment later, his forehead resting against hers. 

 

Emma felt the corners of her mouth turn up just the slightest bit. “Do you really think I would have said it if I didn’t?” she teased. “Yes, I meant it. Maybe it’s too soon and you’ll think I’m crazy for it, but it’s all starting to hit me now, how kind and funny and sweet and thoughtful you are, not to mention insanely hot even when you are infuriating. So yes, I love you, Killian.”

 

He raised an eyebrow, the smirk on his face almost sinful. “Insanely hot, eh?”

 

She rolled her eyes and acted as if to pull away from him when he reached over and took her hand in his. “Bloody hell, Swan. I’ve known I loved you for longer than you’d know. Possibly even when you sent me that first Facebook message all those months ago asking how we knew each other.” 

 

“You loved me when all you knew was that I had decent taste in movies?”

 

“Something like that can be a dealbreaker. What if I didn’t have high standards and found myself stuck with someone who made us watch _ Transformers  _ for the rest of our lives?”

 

The “rest of their lives” comment didn’t go unnoticed, Emma’s pulse picking up speed ever so slightly even as she gasped dramatically. “In that case, I’m so glad I saved you from a life of Michael Bay productions.”

 

“And I’m immensely grateful.” He brought their still joined hands to his mouth and pressed his lips to the back of her hand. “In all seriousness, though, I do love you, Swan.”

 

It was still hard for Emma to comprehend how a simple mix up on Facebook had changed so much about their lives. “And I love you. Even more so if you hand me the remote from the end table so we can see what’s on Netflix.”

 

“As you wish, my love.”

 

Thanks to her having the rest of the weekend off, she and Killian’s agenda on Friday consisted of little besides hiding away in the apartment in front of her TV (occasionally watching whatever was on, mostly distracted by other sorts of enjoyable activities.) Saturday would have been no different had Mary Margaret not called and insisted the two of them come over for lunch. 

 

“We haven’t done anything for your birthday yet. Plus, David and Ruby both got to meet Killian during his last visit. It’s only fair I get to this time,” her sister-in-law had insisted.

 

“He’s been in town for more than two days; I’m surprised you’ve waited this long to make plans with us.” Part of her had expected a request like this the minute Killian’s flight had landed.

 

“Well, I had every intention of trying earlier, but David was afraid we’d catch you at a bad time so soon after he arrived with you two not seeing each other in so long and everything.”

 

_ Remind me to get David two Christmas gifts this year  _ Emma thought to herself as she and Mary Margaret finalized their plans. Although maybe she was being too hopeful. Her brother hadn’t exactly been easy on Killian the first time they’d met, and that was before their friendship had grown into something else. (She made a mental note to have Killian bring up the Orioles as much as possible.)

 

“Are you sure you’re okay with all of this?” Emma asked him as she parked the bug outside David and Mary Margaret’s building. “I mean, I already know you’re going to say yes because of what kind of person you are, but they can be ridiculously overbearing.”

 

“It’s perfectly fine, Swan. I’m glad for the chance to spend time with people who mean so much to you.” He chuckled and added, “Besides, I know Liam would be the same should our roles ever be reversed.” Killian’s brother was his hero and someone he brought up often in their conversations, whether it be pertaining to their jobs or otherwise. She had no idea if going to London to visit him would be within her means any time soon, but the thought of meeting Liam and the other members of Killian’s family like he was about to meet hers made Emma smile.

“Here goes nothing,” Emma said once they’d exited the car. “Remember-”

 

“I know, Swan. Heavy on the baseball talk, light on the innuendoes.” 

 

“Bingo.”

 

Much to her relief, the afternoon went over well. Mary Margaret adored Killian right off of the bat, and Leo was so insistent on keeping his attention that neither she nor David managed to get a chance to interrogate him or make comments that could send him running back across the pond.

 

“I gotta say, he seems to be a decent guy.” Emma and David were in the kitchen washing dishes after lunch while Leo performed whatever he’d learned in gymnastics that week for Killian and Mary Margaret. Thankfully, he spent enough time with his own nieces and nephew that the four-year-old’s antics didn’t seem to phase him.

 

“He’s great. And thanks for not going too Protective Big Brother on him again today.”

 

He was silent for a moment, lost in thought as he scrubbed at a plate and passed it to her to be rinsed and dried. “Admittedly, I think I did enough of that the last time. Plus, Mary Margaret made me promise to be easy on him.”

 

“Good for her.” Emma glanced over her shoulder and saw her sister-in-law laughing at whatever Killian had just said to charm her. “I think she loves him about as much as I do.” 

 

She saw David raise an eyebrow out of the corner of her eye. “So it’s really serious then? You love him?”

 

“I do. I know it’s crazy with how we met and things are still new and we’re still figuring out how this is gonna work with an ocean between us. But, yeah. I love him.”

 

“In that case, I’m happy for you, Emma. I really am.” She knew he’d be wrapping an arm around her shoulders and kissing her forehead were both of his hands not submerged in dish water. “But if he ever hurts you-”

 

“I know, you’ll make him swim back to London.”

 

“Darn right.”

 

The last part of their weekend flew by as quickly as the first, much to both of their chagrin. “I swear it feels like I just picked you up from the airport,” Emma murmured against his shoulder when they woke up on Sunday morning. 

 

“I was just thinking the same. What’s that they say, time flies when you’re having fun and all?”

 

“Mhm,” she sighed. “Something like that.”

 

“I’m so glad I got to come see you again, though. Especially without work and meetings taking up so much of my time.”

 

“And you came out of family lunch unscathed too,” she pointed out. “I think Mary Margaret intentionally kept you preoccupied with her and Leo so David wouldn’t have a chance to do any interrogating.”

 

“I would have sat through an interrogation regardless just for that apple pie.”

 

“It is pretty incredible,” she agreed. “Don’t tell Mary Margaret, but I think David would have married her for that alone.”

 

“It wouldn’t be difficult to believe.”

 

With Killian’s flight being earlier in the afternoon, they didn’t have as much time to themselves left as both of them would have preferred. After grabbing breakfast (or brunch realistically at that point) at a cafe near the airport, Emma found herself telling him goodbye in the parking lot again.

 

“You’ll shoot me a message when you land?” she asked when Killian had retrieved his things from the back of her car.

 

“Aye. Perhaps we’ll have a chance to talk sometime tonight if my estimated arrival time doesn’t change.”

 

Emma nodded. “I’d like that. But if it’s late, go on to bed when you get home. You know your sleep schedule is going to be more discombobulated than it already is for the next few days.”

 

“Worth it.” Killian flashed her a smile and pulled her in for a hug. “I’m not exactly sure when I’ll be able to visit again. The holidays always complicate things at work a bit, and it won’t be long before Liam and Belle begin informing me of all the events and family gatherings I’m expected to attend.

 

“Of course. It wouldn’t be Christmas without Uncle Killy.” She pulled back and snickered at the exasperated look on his face. He’d mentioned in a previous conversation that Liam called him that from time to time and he hated it.

 

“For the last time, Swan, they do  _ not _ call me that.”

 

“Doesn’t mean I can’t take an opportunity to tease you about it.” Emma stood up on her toes to kiss him softly. “We’ll figure something out though, okay? Maybe bail bonds will be good to me soon and I can afford to come across the pond for a few days. I’ve always wanted to see cars drive on the other side of the road.”  

 

“How very American of you.”

 

“Maybe so. But you love me for it.”

 

“I do.” 

 

Thanks to Killian’s flight proceeding as scheduled, Emma found herself on the phone with him later that night.  _ Spider-Man: Homecoming  _ played on both of their respective TV screens while she gave him her unofficial lecture detailing why Tom Holland was the best actor to date that the franchise had cast in the title role. 

 

“I mean, look at it this way: Tobey MaGuire was a fine Peter Parker. He had the acting skills to play the nerdy kid who was just struggling to get through high school, but he just didn’t have that level of confidence you need to play a superhero. Then you have Andrew Garfield, who was the complete opposite. Sure, he’s got the wit and the confidence to be Spider-Man, but his Peter comes off too much like one of the cool kids. And as much as I love him, Peter Parker is not considered all that cool. He wouldn’t be bullied constantly if that were the case.”

 

“And Tom Holland manages to find a happy medium between the two,” Killian finished.

 

“Exactly!”

 

She heard him chuckling through the phone. “I’m glad we agree on this, love. Otherwise, I worry you may disown me.”

 

“Eh, I’m not sure I would go to that extreme. But it would put an awkward strain on things considering the MCU is pretty much a third party in this relationship.” 

 

She and Killian did sort of owe the franchise for being the reason they met. Sure, Emma probably would have noticed him on her Facebook page sooner or later and reached out to inquire about who he was, but their first interaction stemming from _Captain Marvel_ was special to her. It didn’t hurt that she now had Goose in Flerken-mode sitting on the shelf above her TV to remind her of him.

 

Not only was she turning into a romantic, he’d gone and made her all sentimental now too.

 

Over the next handful of weeks, they tried to keep up the same routine they’d had before of regular calls, texts, or FaceTimes. But, just as he’d predicted, Killian’s obligations and responsibilities both in and out of the office began to increase as they got further into November. 

 

To her surprise, so did Emma’s. She rarely struggled to find work in bail bonds (no matter what happened, there was always someone evading the law.) But while crime rates usually tended to remain the same if not decrease during the colder months, the list of skips on her radar had grown considerably. The added work wasn’t a problem since she could use the money it brought in, but the change in pace on both sides, not to mention the time difference, meant planned phone calls and FaceTime dates were often missed for one reason or another. 

 

By the time Thanksgiving rolled around, it had been almost a week since they’d had a legitimate conversation outside of brief texts sent whenever they had a moment to themselves. Of course problems like these could only be expected with an ocean and a five hour difference between them, but Emma hadn’t been prepared to face them so early in their relationship.

The whole thing was on her mind when she and her girl friends had their own version of Friendsgiving at David and Mary Margaret’s place the night before the actual holiday. They’d ordered Chinese takeout and were eating in the living room,  _ Mean Girls  _ quickly forgotten while they updated each other on their lives.

 

“What about you, Ems?” Ruby asked when Elsa had finished sharing the details of her upcoming trip to Norway. “I know there’s gotta be something to share about that British hunk of yours.” She shot Emma a wolfish grin. Of course this would be Ruby’s first question; she’d been asking for regular updates on Killian since the day she ran into he and Emma at Granny’s.

 

Emma shrugged. “There’s not much to share lately. One of us is always busy when the other’s not, so we haven’t really talked or anything nearly as much as we would have liked to over the past few weeks.” 

 

“Will you get to see him for Christmas or New Years?” Elsa asked, a kind smile on her face. While Emma loved both Ruby and Mary Margaret, she appreciated knowing Elsa was asking because she genuinely cared, not because she wanted all the juicy details on her love life.

 

“Probably not. Even with me taking on extra work, a ticket to London is still kind of out of my budget, and Killian will have work stuff and plans with his brother’s family.” She failed to include that Killian had hinted around at opting out of his plans so he could visit, but she’d shut that idea down right away. The idea of taking him away from his family at the holidays seemed selfish, even if he’d been the one to make the suggestion. 

 

“I’m sure everyone in a long distance relationship has these kind of issues from time to time,” offered Mary Margaret. “Hopefully things will slow down again after the first of the year and you two can go back to normal.” 

 

Emma decided not to tell her sister-in-law just how far off the first of the year felt. There wasn’t a chance, though, since her phone began to vibrate where she’d left it on the coffee table. She knew before looking at the caller ID from WhatsApp that it was Killian.

 

She swore under her breath. Either she hadn’t mentioned her plans tonight to Killian, or it had slipped his mind. “Great timing. Sorry, guys. I’ll tell him it has to wait.” 

 

“No!” all three of her friends exclaimed in unison.

 

“Friendsgiving be damned. You see us all the time, Emma,” said Ruby. “Now take the chance to talk to your boyfriend while you’ve got it.”

 

She drove a hard bargain.

 

Emma stood from the couch and slipped into David and Mary Margaret’s kitchen. She tapped the answer icon and brought the phone to her ear. “Hey, Killian.”

 

“Hello, Swan.” He sounded tired. If she could see him, Emma knew he’d be rubbing his eyes while trying to hold back a yawn. “I hope this isn’t a bad time.”

 

“No, it’s okay. I’m with the girls, but they can survive without me for a bit.”

 

“Oh, bloody hell. You did say something about having plans tonight, didn’t you? I’m sorry, love.”

 

“Yeah, but it’s really not a big deal.”

 

Killian sighed. She almost wished she had told him she was at home instead just so he wouldn’t feel guilty about calling when he did. “I still feel like a prat for interrupting. Are you sure you wouldn’t rather go back to your friends? I can always try again for tomorrow night.”

 

“Killian, don’t beat yourself up about it. I love my friends, but in the words of Ruby, I see them all the time. I’m gonna take advantage of time to talk to you while we can.”

 

“Aye, well, as long as you don’t feel I’m intruding.”

 

Emma had always appreciated how considerate he was, but sometimes he could be so polite it was almost infuriating. “You are most definitely not intruding. I’ve missed you. Now tell me about your day- is that new guy with the bad attitude still driving everyone up the wall?”

 

Taking a seat at David and Mary Margaret’s kitchen table, she sat and listened for the next fifteen or so minutes to his recap of everything he hadn’t gotten the chance to fill her in on yet. Of course it was just a typical work week for him, with no one on his end taking time off for Thanksgiving and Black Friday. She pointed out as much to Killian.

 

“Ah, that’s right,” he commented. “I presume you have plans with David and Mary Margaret tomorrow?”

 

“I’m just having brunch with the two of them and Leo. They invited me to dinner with Mary Margaret’s family, but I always feel like I’m imposing whenever I go to something of theirs. That-” she paused and turned to make sure her sister-in-law was preoccupied in conversation before continuing “-and her stepmom kind of freaks me out. You’d think she was the queen or something by the way she talks to people.”

 

“I suppose it’s best you to keep your distance then, although I wish you didn’t have to spend the rest of the holiday alone. Perhaps I can plan to finish up a bit early at the office and we can watch something together? Or, well, sort of together. Something like that.”

 

Emma nodded, despite the fact that he couldn’t see it. “Yeah, I’d like that a lot.” It wasn’t what she really wanted- to see him and have them there with her again- but some things they’d have to make do with for now.

 

It felt as if the first three weeks of December had come and gone in a heartbeat. A thick blanket of snow covered Boston, as did the myriad of lights and decorations in various shades of red and green. Five days before Christmas, Emma found herself in a corner booth at Granny’s drinking eggnog, surrounded by everyone in their friend group and then some. Ruby had somehow gotten permission to close the diner early for their annual party rather than attempt to crowd into someone’s apartment for a few hours. 

 

The night had been a success so far. Almost everyone Ruby invited had come, and there was more than enough food and alcohol to go around. (Not to mention the entertainment of impromptu Christmas karaoke that was a result of said alcohol.)

 

Emma enjoyed spending time with her closest friends and reconnecting with ones she hadn’t seen in awhile. One thing she couldn’t help but notice, however, was the amount of couples in the room. 

 

There was David and Mary Margaret, of course, who only had eyes for each other more often than not. Anna and Kristoff were in town for the holidays and had come, and were busy chatting with Graham and his boyfriend, August. (It turned out he was the bartender Graham had been so infatuated with the night she met Killiam James.) Ruby’s on again, off again relationship with Dorothy was clearly on considering the two were not so subtly making out in the restaurant’s back room.

 

The only other person who seemed to be flying solo was Elsa. She walked over from the bar and took a seat across from Emma, who was now alone in the booth as David and Mary Margaret were (badly) serenading “White Christmas” to each other by the jukebox.

 

“I’d forgotten what alcohol does to them,” she told Elsa. While she loved her brother and sister-in-law, their duet was a far cry from Bing Crosby and Rosemary Clooney. 

 

Elsa giggled. “Tell me about it. And Mary Margaret’s going to have the worst hangover tomorrow; they’re both such lightweights.” She turned back to Emma. “I’m more concerned about you looking so lonely over here by yourself though.”

 

“I’m not lonely,” Emma protested. “I’m just…” she trailed off, not wanting to voice what was really on her mind.

 

“Missing Killian? I thought so.”

 

Leave it to Elsa to be so perceptive. She somehow always knew what Emma was thinking about. “I know it’s silly. I mean, I just talked to him earlier and we haven’t been together long enough to where it feels like I should be moping about not spending a holiday with him. But yeah, I miss him a lot.”

 

“And I doubt the amount of couples in the room does much to help.”

 

“Oh, good. So I’m not the only one who’s noticed.”

 

“Definitely not,” Elsa assured her. “And your feelings aren’t silly. Sure, maybe you haven’t been together as long as couples like David and Mary Margaret or Anna and Kris, but you two had been close for months before you started dating. There’s no timeline your relationship has to follow either. Some couples are engaged after a month, and others wait years before deciding to take the next step. Relationships can be so different for everyone.”

 

Emma just nodded. Her friend had made too many good points for her to object. “And by different, you mean some people can accidentally meet on Facebook and bond over superheroes.”

 

Elsa flashed her a grin. “Exactly.”

 

“I know everything you said is true. I just can’t help but wonder how long this arrangement is going to work out. He’ll only have so many opportunities to come here, and even with me trying to save and cut back when I can, it could be months before I can afford to visit him.” She had considered trying to fly out for his birthday in the spring, but the cost of living in Boston plus a number of repairs to her car were making that idea seem less and less likely.

 

Her friend was quiet for a moment. “Or we could send you.”

 

“What are you talking about?”

 

“David will hate me for telling you this, but we were going to go in together to cover the repairs on the bug since we figured you would appreciate that than something to unwrap. But I have a feeling you’d appreciate getting to spend Christmas with your boyfriend even more.”

 

Elsa couldn’t be serious. Could she? “That is incredibly sweet of you to offer, but I can’t let you do that. Even if you did go in together, a plane ticket still wouldn’t be cheap, and I’m not sure Killian’s family wants me crashing their holiday plans without notice.”

 

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Elsa objected. “If they have any sense, they’ll be thrilled that Killian has you there to celebrate with him. Give me two minutes to see what we can work out.” She was out of the booth and running over to David and Mary Margaret before Emma had a chance to react.

 

The idea was unexpected, and even a bit ridiculous if she were being honest. 

 

And yet, the morning before Christmas Eve, Emma found herself being dropped off at the airport by David, just as she’d done for Killian twice now. She’d managed to keep her last minute visit a surprise from him so far. Mary Margaret had somehow gotten in touch via Facebook with Belle, who would be picking her up when she arrived in London.

 

“I gotta say, I’m surprised you were so willing to agree with Elsa’s idea,” she told her brother as his car pulled into the parking deck. 

 

David shrugged. “The alcohol helped,” he admitted. “Plus, I knew how much getting to do this would mean to you. And to Killian. As much as it would have pained me to admit it at one point, you two are good for each other.”

 

She leaned over the center console and kissed his cheek. “I’m glad you think so. Although I’m never gonna be able to make it up to you guys.”

 

“Don’t worry about making anything up. I wouldn’t mind an autograph from the queen though.”

 

Emma barked out a laugh. “I wouldn’t hold your breath on that.”


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is it, folks! I've had so much fun writing this not so little story over the past few months, but it's time we bring things to a close. (Although I would be lying if I said I wasn't already considering revisiting this verse again in the future if that's something people are into because I'm such trash for these two.) 
> 
> A massive thank you to everyone for all the likes, comments, reblogs, kudos, etc. you've sent my way so far. The support has meant so much and motivated me to stick with this when I didn't always feel up to it. I so appreciate everything. 
> 
> Also thanks to ultraluckycatnd and thejollyroger-writer for looking over this chapter, and my lovely shipmates on Discord and Tumblr for being awesome friends and cheerleaders.

London was cold.

 

It was the first thing Emma noticed when she exited the plane at Heathrow that afternoon. That, and she’d never seen an airport so busy in her entire life. Not that she expected one of the biggest airports in the world to be quiet and idle two days before Christmas, but the sight of the crowd surrounding her was a bit overwhelming as she tried to navigate her way to baggage claim and then to the waiting area Belle was to meet her at.  

 

Of course Emma had never met Killian’s sister-in-law before, but she’d seen enough pictures of the brunette on Facebook to pick her out in a crowd. Which is what she was attempting to do when she felt a tap on her shoulder.  

 

Startled, she let out a yelp and jumped. The strap of her bag fell off of her shoulder and it tumbled to the ground. 

 

(Hopefully Killian reacted better to surprises than she did.)

 

Emma turned and saw a familiar looking woman smiling apologetically. “I’m so sorry! I tried calling your name, but I assume you couldn’t hear me over all the noise. I’m Belle.”

“It’s okay, really. You just caught me off guard a bit.” She leaned down to retrieve her bag from where it had fallen, then offered her hand to Belle. “Emma.”

 

Belle shook her hand, beaming. “Oh, I know. Liam and I have heard so much about you. We’re so glad you were able to come surprise him for Christmas.”

 

“Thank you so much for coming to meet me, and for being okay with all of this. I know you weren’t exactly expecting me to come hinder your plans at the last minute.” 

 

“It’s no hindrance at all. I’m more than happy to have someone who means so much to Killian here with us. And I just know the kids are going to love you.” 

 

“I’m so excited to meet them.” 

 

Emma followed Belle out of the airport, fighting the urge to grab her arm and cling tight so she wouldn’t lose her in the maze of people. It was a relief when they reached Belle’s car in the parking lot. It was less of a relief when she attempted getting in the right hand seat the first time without thinking twice about it. 

 

“You’re probably regretting associating with the American already.” Her cheeks burned as she walked around the car and took the correct seat. 

 

Belle laughed as she sat down to her right. “It happens more than you think. Killian would probably never tell you this himself, but the first time he drove in the States on a trip with Liam a few years ago, he had no idea it was legal to turn right at a red light. He found out because so many people blew their horns at them when he would wait for the light to turn.”

 

She felt a bit horrible for laughing. American drivers were vicious on any given day. “I’ll remind myself to never let him drive in Boston if it can be helped.”

 

Seeing the way traffic operated in London was every bit as fascinating as Emma expected. Or maybe she just didn’t get out enough. 

 

“I’m assuming Killian and Liam are working?” she asked as Belle drove. Killian hadn’t mentioned doing anything out of the ordinary today when they’d spoken on the phone last night. It had been so hard to keep her visit a secret from him since everything had been arranged a few days prior.

 

“Yes. It’s their last day until the first of January. I almost encouraged Liam to let them off since it’s already the twenty-third, but I figured him having Killian at the office would make it easier for me to pick you up without him finding out. I actually figured we’d go there for you to surprise him since it’s almost quitting time. That way you two can have the rest of the night to yourselves.”

 

Hearing that made Emma’s pulse do something she was convinced had to be borderline dangerous. She’d assumed Belle would take them to her and Liam’s house and give Killian an incentive to come over after work. But knowing she was potentially minutes away from seeing him, from throwing her arms around him and kissing him like she’d wanted to for weeks was almost overwhelming.

 

Belle glanced at her after a moment. “You’re being awfully quiet. Is everything alright?”

 

“Yeah, sorry. It’s just...I really can’t wait to see him. I figured it would be at least several more weeks before we could make it happen again.” She felt tears prick her eyes and laughed as she blinked them back. “You probably think I’m kind of ridiculous.”

 

“Of course not. It’s like I said earlier, Emma: I’m thrilled that Killian has someone who means so much to him, and that he clearly means as much to you in return.”

 

The corners of Emma’s mouth turned up. “Oh, he does. He really, really does.”   

 

The moments that followed went by in a haze as Belle parked the car and led Emma into an important-looking office building and onto an elevator that seemed to ascend at a snail’s pace. This was it, but she hadn’t expected to be so nervous. She resisted the urge to bite her nails while she waited for the light to flash on the button for whatever floor Belle was taking them to. 

 

Finally, the elevator doors opened. Belle stepped out into a hallway and gestured for her to follow. It seemed to be a typical office space, all greys and whites in various tones with a few prints of ships hanging on the walls, but Emma was too focused on why they were there to pay much attention to their surroundings.

 

Belle approached a desk where a redhead sat typing away on a laptop. The woman glanced up and smiled when she saw them approaching. “Hi, Belle! I didn’t know you were coming by today. Would you like me to let Liam know you’re here? I expect they’ll be finishing up for the day soon.”

 

“Hello, Ariel. And no- well, yes, actually, but could you send a message to Killian first and see if he has a moment? I have a surprise for him.”

 

Ariel’s eyes shifted to Emma and a look of recognition crossed her face. “Oh! You’re the girl he’s been going on and on about for months! I remember you now from that picture he posted on your birthday when he went to see you.” 

 

Emma didn’t have to ask to know which photo she referred to; it was the one Killian had taken of her in her excitement over the margherita pizza. She somehow hadn’t noticed he’d posted it until he’d gone back to London, and she’d missed him too much to be upset about it. Even if the photo was fairly embarrassing.

 

But embarrassing photos aside, she was more than ready to see Killian. She was finally in the same place with the man she loved again. He could post all the ridiculous pictures of her he wanted to and she didn’t think it would dampen her mood.

 

“I’ll see what he’s doing now,” Ariel continued, oblivious to Emma’s lack of response to her previous statement as she picked up her cell phone and typed out a brief message. There were only so many things Emma could focus on at once. 

 

There was a ping when he responded to Ariel just moments later. “Okay! I told him you were here, Belle. He said to come on in his office.” She turned back to Emma, beaming. “I just know he’s going to be thrilled to see you.”

 

Even though she knew deep down that Ariel was right, Emma found herself second guessing the whole situation as Belle led her around a corner and down another hallway. Would Killian be annoyed that she’d flown over to see him and shown up at his office with no kind of warning? Her stomach churned at the thought. Maybe this wasn’t such a great idea after all.

 

But Belle didn’t give her a chance to reconsider the matter, stopping abruptly in front of a door with “K. Jones” embossed in the center. She knocked and his “Come in” was almost immediate. Hearing his voice in person rather than from a phone was almost enough to calm Emma’s nerves. Almost.

 

“I believe I’ll let you do the honors.” Belle gestured to the door, unaware of everything running through her mind.

 

Before she could second guess herself again, Emma opened the door and stepped inside the office. He sat in a chair behind a desk and had his back turned to her, going through what looked like a file cabinet.

 

“Give me just a moment to finish filing this paperwork and I’ll be done, love. Say, I’m not complaining, but what made you decide to come see me first? Is Liam in the doghouse?” 

 

“I don’t think so.” Her voice came out a bit raspy and uneven. 

 

Killian froze. He dropped the papers he’d been holding and spun around in his chair. She heard a sharp intake of breath and his eyes widened. Emma watched as he stared at her for a moment, likely wondering if what he saw was real. “Swan?”

 

“Hi,” she said sheepishly, a hesitant smile on her lips. 

 

One moment he was in the desk chair, the next he was on his feet and kissing her for all she was worth. She swayed a bit from the sudden movement and fisted her hands in the fabric of his white button-down shirt, his hands cupping her face as he reminded her just what she’d been missing these past few weeks.

 

Emma broke the kiss to come up for air, both breathing heavily and Killian still wearing an expression of disbelief as he pulled her close. 

 

“Swan, what- how are you here?”

 

“To make a long-ish story short, my friends were tired of hearing me talk about how much I missed you and decided to do something about it.”

 

Killian pressed another kiss to her cheek and laughed. “Bloody hell. Remind me to overnight your friends a Christmas gift.”   

 

She heard another laugh and they turned to see Belle standing in the doorway with Liam behind her, grins on both their faces. Emma’s face flushed red with embarrassment; she’d forgotten they weren’t alone. 

 

“Oi, something we can help you two with?” Killian scowled, but she could still make out a hint of amusement in his voice.

 

“Aye.” Liam stepped around Belle and entered the room. “I’d like to meet the lass who’s somehow considerate enough to give my little brother a chance.”

 

Killian groaned. “Is there any point in me reminding you it’s  _ younger _ ?”

 

“Nope.” 

 

Emma pulled away from Killian and offered her hand to Liam. He took it but then brought her in for a hug instead. The close contact was unexpected, but it was also a relief. She’d worried for a moment there over what Killian’s brother would think about her coming to visit so last minute, especially when they’d only been together a handful of months and had met under unusual circumstances. Any anxiety she’d held over this trip was quickly being diminished. 

 

Killian pulled her back into his arms as they talked to Liam and Belle for a bit. They discussed the arrangements behind her surprise visit and upcoming plans for the holiday, but she only half listened while Killian nuzzled her ear and kept pressing his lips to her cheek, now unconcerned that they had an audience. 

 

Emma loved getting to meet his family, and she looked forward to spending more time with Liam, Belle, and their kids over the next few days. 

 

But she also loved finding herself pressed up against the front door of Killian’s apartment ( _ flat _ , whatever) less than an hour later.

 

“Bloody hell,” he muttered against her neck between kisses. “I can’t believe you’re truly here, Swan.”

 

She just hummed; since it was about the only noise she could make when he found that one spot behind her ear. “So you...were...surprised, huh?” Damn him and his ability to make her forget how to breathe.

 

“You have no idea.” He pulled back and paused like he was taking her in, making sure she was really there with him. “I missed you so much, my love.” Emma loved the way the lines around his eyes crinkled when he smiled at her. She wanted to make him smile like that for the rest of her life.

 

The idea didn’t scare her nearly as much as it would have in the past. 

 

“Even though I don’t store my coffee mugs at a forty-five degree angle and leave my laundry in a heap on the floor until the last minute?” she teased. He’d been slightly horrified to learn the latter during his last visit.

 

Killian faked a look of disgust and then laughed. “I can’t believe I’m really about to say this, but you can wreck my flat from the inside out this week and I won’t care just as long as you’re here with me.”

 

“Careful, Jones. That’s a tempting offer you’re making there.”

 

“Aye. I’m a glutton for punishment, it seems. Shall I give you a proper tour of the place so you’ll know what you’re getting into?”

 

“Eh,” she sighed, running her hands down his chest. “Maybe later. I’d really just like to see your room right now if I’m being honest.”

 

“Hmm. What kind of fool would I be to deny such a nice request?”

 

“A pretty big one.”

 

Needless to say, the tour was quickly forgotten about. They had too much lost time to make up for.

 

Emma woke the next morning feeling like she’d been hit by a ton of bricks. She rubbed at her eyes and sat up enough to get a look at the clock on Killian’s bedside table. 

 

8:43. That explained a lot- it was still the middle of the night for her poor, jet-lagged body. 

 

Groaning, she flopped back down onto the mattress, rolled over, and buried her face in his chest. 

 

“Good morning, sunshine.” Emma didn’t have to glance up to know he was smirking at her. 

 

“It’s not even four a.m. in Boston. I deserve, like, ten minutes to be grumpy.” 

 

“Alright, then. I’ll be timing you. You’ve got about nine minutes and eleven seconds at your disposal.”

 

Emma sat up long enough to lightly whack his chest with the back of her hand. “Smart ass. You’re lucky you’re cute.”

 

“Would I be even cuter if I brought you breakfast and coffee in bed?” Killian asked.

 

He knew her too well. “For that, Jones, you’d be down right adorable.”

 

After pancakes and coffee (among other activities that made jet lag more bearable), they dressed for the day and went for a walk. Killian showed her around his neighborhood, which was fully immersed in Christmas preparations. They passed a group of carolers on the street and a family building a snowman in their yard. This prompted him to share every possible _ Frozen _ joke he could think of, to which she rolled her eyes at but still laughed. Emma was so ridiculously elated to be there spending the holiday with him, he could share every snowman pun in the book if he wanted to and it wouldn’t change things.  

 

They had been out for a while when snow began to fall. Emma shivered and pulled her thick coat tighter around her, thankful she’d thought to wear it instead of her leather one. What she’d seen of London was gorgeous, but she still stood by her first assessment of the city: it was freaking cold.

 

“What do you say we come in from the cold for a moment, Swan?” Killian asked. “There’s a cafe just up the road a bit with excellent cocoa and biscuits you might like.”

 

“You lead the way.”

 

The cafe was small and cozy, its warmth a welcome change from the bitter chill outside. Killian ordered them hot cocoa and shortbread cookies as promised and they took a table towards the back of the room.

 

Emma took a long sip of her drink, savoring the taste of the warm, rich chocolate. “So, tell me about this Christmas party. You said it’s at Liam and Belle’s?” They had mentioned something about it to her and Killian at his office the day before, but she’d been too distracted by him to pay much attention.

 

“Aye. It’s not a large get together, usually just us and a handful of friends. I should probably warn you that Will and Robin are coming.”

 

She paused, thinking back on a night several months prior. “Will- he’s the one I talked to the night of Liam’s birthday? The first time you called me?”

 

Killian rolled his eyes. “That would be Scarlet. Bloody wanker he can be. He teased me for weeks after about that, wanting to know who you were and how I’d become so far gone for a woman I’d never met.” His face flushed with color, and she knew it wasn’t because of the hot cocoa. 

 

“I wonder what he’s going to say when said woman shows up at Liam and Belle’s with you tonight.”

 

He pursed his lips, considering the thought. “Well, my first instinct was to say that he’s going to love you as much as I do. But I’m not sure I truly like the idea of that now that I think about it.”

 

“Me neither,” Emma agreed. “I only have enough room for one British dork in my life as it is.”

 

“Hey! I resent that remark.” He tried to feign annoyance with a sour expression, but the hint of amusement in his voice gave him away.

 

She reached across the table and squeezed his hand. “That’s okay. Just between you and me, I think dorks are kind of hot.”

 

Killian’s answering smile only confirmed her statement. “And don’t you forget it, love.”

 

They arrived at Liam and Belle’s just before seven. Killian rang the doorbell, which was soon followed by the sound of squealing and several feet running in their direction. 

 

The door swung open. Emma watched as Killian knelt and a little girl launched herself into his open arms. She had long dark curls that went in every direction possible and eyes that matched her uncle’s. 

 

“Hello, Sophia. Where’s the rest of your crew?”

 

As if on cue, two more children appeared, a boy with similar features and another girl who shared Belle’s features and red-brown hair. There seemed to be a bit of a competition over Killian. Emma tried not to laugh while the three of them argued over which of them told her boyfriend about their day first and which one of them would get to sit next to him at the dinner table. 

 

“Alright, that’s enough. There’s plenty of me to go around, eh?” Killian extracted himself from the tangle of limbs and stood. He placed a hand on the small of her back and beckoned her to step closer. “There’s someone special I’d like you three to meet.”

 

“Oh!” The boy spoke up and pointed at the two of them. “That’s right. Mum said you were bringing a girl.”

 

“Yes, well, your mum is usually right. Sophia, Jacob, and Lucy,” he said, pointing out the kids by birth order to her, “this is Emma.”

 

Admittedly, this was one of the moments she’d been most nervous about. Sure, she was close with Leo thanks to her being around well before his birth. But he was a toddler. Liam and Belle’s three were older and had a high opinion of their Uncle Killian. There was a chance the same could not be said of the stranger he’d just brought for them to meet. 

 

“Um, hi,” Emma started. “It’s so nice to meet you all. Killian’s told me a lot about you.”

 

The kids were silent. Emma’s first instinct was to panic; had she somehow said something she shouldn’t have already?

 

Then the youngest girl, Lucy, spoke up. “You’re pretty. Do you like Moana?”

 

Okay, maybe this could be easier than she thought. “Thank you. And as a matter of fact, yes. I like Moana a lot.” 

 

Lucy considered her response and nodded. Emma took this to be her seal of approval. 

 

The kids led her and Killian inside, where Liam and Belle were already entertaining a few early guests. Soon, Emma was being led all over the house, first by the kids who wanted to give her the full tour, then by Killian as he introduced her to some of his friends and colleagues. 

 

Meeting Will Scarlet was every bit as interesting and entertaining as she’d expected. The first thing he’d said when he’d noticed her was, “So, _ you’re  _ the lass who’s made Jones light up like a Christmas tree!”

 

She couldn’t exactly object to that, especially when Killian’s face reddened just as he shot his friend a death stare. 

 

“It’s okay, babe,” she whispered and stood on her toes to kiss his cheek when Will had his back turned to them. “Just between you and me, Mary Margaret told me after your last visit that she could tell you and I both were pretty far gone.” Emma wasn’t sure where the random term of endearment had come from. He had his fair share of names for her, ranging from “Swan” to “my love,” but this was the first instance she could remember addressing Killian by something other than his name. 

 

If he noticed, however, he must have approved judging by his answering smile and how he kissed her back, not even caring when Will noticed and wolf-whistled at them. 

 

Emma spent the evening getting to know Killian’s family and friends, being entertained by the three children, and eating her weight in the Christmas cookies Liam and Belle had made. (And earning confused looks from the kids every time she said “cookies” instead of “biscuits.” Some habits couldn’t be changed overnight.) 

 

It was well after midnight by the time she and Killian arrived back at his apartment. Emma only had enough energy to trade her sweater and jeans for his faded Han Solo t-shirt before going straight to bed. She clearly needed more experience when it came to crossing time zones over the holidays. 

 

The sound of Killian’s voice came far too early the next morning. “Rise and shine, Swan.” 

 

Emma rolled over and snuggled into his side. “Mm. How long until we need to be ready to leave?” She and Killian were to have Christmas brunch with his family as Liam and Belle usually celebrated over dinner with her parents. 

 

“A little over an hour. The restaurant isn’t far from here, so I assumed there was no need to wake you any earlier.”

 

“My hero.” She scooted up the mattress and pressed her lips to his. “Merry Christmas, Killian.” 

 

“Merry Christmas, my love. I know I’ve said it multiple times since you arrived, but I’m so bloody thrilled to be here with you.” The look on his face when he said the words, eyes soft and smile bright, made Emma think Will hadn’t been too far off with the Christmas tree comment. 

 

“Me too.” She kissed him again, this time trailing her lips across his neck and jawline. “Although I do kind of wish you’d woken me up earlier.”

 

“And why is that?” 

 

“Because now I don’t have time to show you  _ just  _ how thrilled I am to be here.” 

 

Killian was quiet for a moment. “Eh. Perhaps it will be alright if we’re a few minutes late.” 

A few minutes turned out to be well over twenty. They showed up to brunch red faced, Killian’s hair messier than usual and Emma adjusting the collar of her blouse to make sure that one spot on her neck wasn’t visible. 

 

Liam raised his eyebrows at the two of them when they took their seats.

 

“Traffic,” Killian answered the question not asked as he picked up a menu, he and Emma both refusing to meet anyone’s gaze.

 

But of course eight-year-old Sophia was smarter than they gave her credit for. “What traffic, Uncle Killian? Your flat is only a few minutes from here.” 

 

Neither he or Emma could think of anything to say until the waiter brought their drinks.

 

The rest of the day after brunch was spent like much of their time together, on Killian’s couch watching Netflix. She had chosen  _ Jane the Virgin  _ as their latest show to try a few weeks earlier. They were now about halfway into season two. 

 

“I think this is a new record for us,” Emma told him. “I’ve been here almost two days, and we’re just now watching something.”

 

“Would this be an appropriate time for me to drop a cheesy pick up line and say you’re all the entertainment I really need?”

 

“That’s almost cute, but I’m pretty sure pick up lines aren’t all that necessary if you’re already dating the person you’re using them on.”

 

“I suppose you’re right, love. I’ll just have to save that one for the other women I’m trying to pursue.”  

 

She should have known he would have a response that like that ready. “Huh. In that case, I guess I need to keep my options open. Didn’t you say Will was single?”

 

“Bloody hell. I take it all back.”

 

It wasn’t until later that night when they had started getting ready for bed that Emma remembered the small box she’d tucked away in her suitcase just before leaving Boston. “Killian?” 

 

He glanced up from the bathroom sink where he stood brushing his teeth. How she could still be so attracted to a man when he had toothpaste on his mouth and chin, she would never know. “Yes, love?”

 

She sat down on the bed and turned the box over in her hands while she waited for him to finish up. “So,” she began when he took a seat next to her, “I know we unofficially decided not to do gifts since it looked like we wouldn’t be seeing each other around Christmas. But I’d had this for a few weeks and was going to give it to you the next time you came to Boston. And since I ended up coming to see you first, I figured there was no point in waiting.” 

 

Emma placed the box in Killian’s open hand. She watched as he removed the lid and held up the small silver object, his brow furrowing before realization set in. “Is this what I think it is?”

 

“Yeah. It’s for my place. I know it’s not much, but I thought it might be good for when you come visit and I’m working or something. You wouldn’t have to borrow my key or wait around for me to go out.”

 

Killian kissed her instead of responding. (He was good at that. And kissing in general.) He pulled her onto his lap and his hands went to her waist, holding her anchored against him as he chased her lips with his until she forgot how to breathe. 

 

“I’m taking that as a good sign?” she panted when they were forced to come up for air.

 

“Bloody hell. This is incredible, love.”

 

She shrugged. “I mean, it wasn’t all that difficult. My landlord isn’t super picky or anything.”

 

“No, I meant the fact that you wanted to do this. It shows that you trust me and our relationship is significant to you. Which are things I knew anyway, but it means quite a lot to me that you’re willing to take a step like this, even if we are apart more often than not. So thank you, Swan. Truly.”

 

Emma didn’t think she’d ever be as adept at giving romantic speeches as him. “You’re welcome. So you’ll kiss me like that again if I get you a key to my car too?” 

 

But sarcasm? Yeah, she had zero deficiencies there. 

 

After Christmas, they had three days together before Emma’s flight back to Boston. She couldn’t remember the last time she’d gone so many days in a row without working, and her bank account would likely show the results of that when she returned home. But even if she had to work more and spend less on take out over the next few weeks, it was worth it.

 

Killian made it a point to ensure she got the full London tourist experience during her time left. This included visits to see Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, Millenium Bridge (she couldn’t  _ not _ see something that had been featured in  _ Guardians of the Galaxy _ ), Abbey Road, Platform 9 ¾, and at least a dozen other sites she’d lost track of by the time the week ended. 

 

“I have to admit, all this makes me feel like I’ve done a poor job at showing you around Boston so far,” she told Killian on her last night in the city. He had taken her to Covent Garden, where they’d wandered around a handful of shops and eaten dinner in one of the pubs where she had her first experience with fish and chips. 

 

Of course he objected to her comment. “Our time together in Boston has been a bit more limited so far. I’ve seen what’s truly important,” he said, shooting her a wink. “Besides, that just gives us something to look forward to next time.”

 

Next time. Emma had no idea just when that next time would be, but just hearing him mention it lightened a weight on her shoulders she hadn’t realized was there. Maybe they would get to see each other again sooner than she’d anticipated. 

 

It took longer than usual to say goodbye at the airport. Every time she thought they were ready to let each other go, one of them would duck back in for another kiss that would be longer than the last. It wasn’t until a random passerby called “Get a room, lovebirds!” that Emma knew she really did have to go. 

 

With a reluctant sigh, she pulled her bag onto her shoulder. “I guess it’s time to get this show on the road.”

 

“You’ll let me know once you’ve returned home safely?” Killian asked. 

 

“Of course. I love you.”

 

“And I you, Swan. So much.”

 

Emma only allowed herself to give his hand a squeeze before turning to leave. She’d never make it on the plane otherwise.

 

The distance between them felt more bearable in the weeks following her visit. The time difference and their conflicting schedules were still hindrances at times; that was a given considering the circumstances. But thankfully, the first of the year brought a bit more predictability to Killian’s work obligations, allowing their nightly calls and regular Netflix marathons to resume with a bit more ease. 

 

She’d insisted they not do anything for Valentine’s Day; the whole concept had become a consumeristic trap, and didn’t they know each loved the other without gifts and celebrating?

 

This didn’t stop Killian from having a box of her favorite bear claws delivered to her office that afternoon, though. And maybe she’d arranged for him to receive an apple pie at work she thought was comparable to Mary Margaret’s. 

 

(Killian made the comment afterward that food and Netflix had all but become honorary members of their relationship. It was hard to disagree with that.)

 

He surprised her in early March by announcing via FaceTime that he had another business meeting in Boston at the end of the month if she would be up for a visitor. 

 

“I think that could be arranged,” she’d told him. “I’ll have to remember to restock on baking ingredients. We never got around to making cupcakes the last time you were here. You know damn well what I meant,” she added when his eyebrows shot up. 

 

Killian’s third visit was shorter than the first two; he arrived on Thursday evening for a meeting on Friday and would be flying back to London on Monday morning. She didn’t dare complain, though. Two full days with him sounded incredible after over three months had passed since she’d left London.

 

Emma couldn’t help but notice that he seemed antsy that Friday morning. In between getting dressed and ready for his meeting, he paced around her apartment in circles, and was so distracted that he put on two different socks but didn’t notice until she pointed it out to him. 

 

“Everything okay, babe?” She paused in the middle of her own morning routine and walked over to where he now paced back and forth across the kitchen. 

 

“Of course, Swan. Why do you ask?” He answered his own question as he asked it by tapping his right foot anxiously.

 

“Don’t give me that, Killian. I’m starting to think I need to ask who you are and what you’ve done with my boyfriend.” 

 

“Saying I’ve had too much caffeine this morning won’t suffice, will it?”

 

“Not a chance.” She considered the brief amount of information she’d heard about his and Liam’s efforts to bring their company to Boston. Apparently expanding a business was much more complicated than it sounded, and things were still in the beginning stages. “Are you worried about this meeting?” 

 

“Aye,” he admitted. “There’s just a lot we have to cover today- nothing bad, per se. I just know it’s going to be complicated and will take a lot of time to sort out.”

 

It was times like this that made Emma feel grateful that she was her own boss most of the time. “Well, I don’t know much about how business deals go. But I do know you’re going to kick ass just like you do with everything else, and then after, you get to be stuck with me for the next day and a half. We can finally get around to making those cupcakes.” She let Killian make his own interpretation on what kind she referred to.

 

This got a smile out of him. “Thank you for the reminder, love. It’ll do me well to think on that if things become tedious.” 

 

“Cupcakes do make everything better.”

 

The meeting went well from what she heard. Killian wasn’t too concerned with discussing it afterward, instead wanting to focus on the time they had left together. After a weekend full of cupcakes (of multiple kinds), she dropped him off at the airport with a reluctant goodbye and a promise that he’d try to visit again soon. After all, that thorough tour of Boston she’d wanted to give him still had yet to happen.

 

But over the next two or three weeks, Emma picked up on a subtle yet noticeable shift in him. Their conversations and time spent together still happened with the same frequency, but he seemed more distant, only wanting to talk about what happened during her days and barely glossing over his own. Other than brief mentions of his friends or family when he spent time with them, she had little knowledge of what else he was doing.

 

“It’s not like I expect a full account of every part of his life,” she told Elsa over the phone after a particularly limited conversation on his part. “I know he loves me and wouldn’t do anything hurtful behind my back, but I just feel like there’s something he’s not telling me. It seemed like he was only half paying attention to anything on the phone just now.”

 

“Have you discussed any of this with him?” Elsa asked.

 

“Well, no.” She felt slightly immature for it, but she’d wanted another person’s input to see if she was just overreacting or seeing something that wasn’t there.

 

“He needs to know how you’re feeling, Emma. I know you don’t need me to tell you how crucial communication is in relationships, especially in circumstances like yours. You don’t want this to go disregarded and create a rift between you two when you’ve already got an ocean doing that.”

 

Elsa was right: everything she told Emma was information she already knew. But it took hearing it from someone else to get the boost of courage she needed to finally confront the matter.

 

She called Killian back not five minutes after she’d hung up with Elsa. It was late in London, but she guessed he would still be awake based on the brief time that had passed since their earlier conversation.

 

“Swan? Everything alright?”

 

“What aren’t you telling me, Killian?”

 

“I- come again, love?”

 

“There’s something going on I know you aren’t being honest with me about. I’m not accusing you of anything or saying you’ve lied to me, but you’re holding something back.”

 

A pregnant pause passed between them. Emma quickly wondered if she’d made a mistake by bringing any of this up. 

 

After a moment, Killian sighed reluctantly. “Aye, love. You’re right. I haven’t been entirely forthright with you as of late. The truth is, there’s been some development since that last meeting I had in Boston that I wasn’t sure I should mention just yet, although you’re causing me to realize that was a mistake on my part.”

 

She wasn’t sure whether this was what she’d expected to hear. What would be going on within his job that he would be hesitant to talk to her about?

 

“It’s about the company’s expansion,” he answered when she asked him as much. “The first time Liam mentioned it, I thought he was joking, but I’ve been proven wrong. He’s suggested that, should everything turn out as we’re hoping, I consider taking over the Boston office.”

 

“Would that mean…?” she trailed off, knowing the question didn’t have to be finished.

 

“Yes, it would require me to move. The only reason I hadn’t discussed it with you yet was on the chance something fell through.” 

 

“Do you know what the chances would be of that happening?”

 

“Honestly, it’s doubtful. Nothing has been signed or set in stone just yet, but Liam and his colleagues from Boston have already made their decisions.”

 

Emma struggled to find words. Part of her had always hoped something like this could happen, she realized. She just hadn’t expected for it to happen so soon. “And what exactly is your decision? You’d be leaving a lot behind, Killian.”

 

“I know. My family and friends are here. But you’re not.”

 

She recalled him saying on his first visit to Boston that he had little tying him down back at home. That still didn’t stop her from asking, “Are you really sure, Killian? I don’t want you to do something you regret on account of me.”

 

“Emma, I love you. You’re my best friend, you’ve brought me more happiness over the past year of knowing you than I knew was possible. Of course I like my life here in London, but I’ve given this a lot of thought, and I’m more than willing to take a chance on this if you are.”

 

If he were there in person, she would have thrown her arms around him and kissed him for all he was worth. “I think I would be crazy not to.” 

 

Less than two weeks later, it was made official and papers were signed, making Killian the head executive for the Boston branch of Ship Shape. There was still a long road ahead of them- setting up the new offices and making his transatlantic move wouldn’t be quick processes- but it made little difference to Emma at the end of the day. They were getting closer to being in the same place, in the same time zone, and that was all either of them really cared about.

 

Killian’s birthday came and went in mid April without much fanfare. The legal and technical requirements he was trying to complete in order to move took up most of his time outside of work, and he seemed to be content without celebrating given the circumstances. Emma wasn’t thrilled considering he’d made such a big deal over her birthday when he visited, but he insisted it wasn’t worth being concerned about.

 

“Trust me, love, I’d much rather celebrate being on your side of the pond and knowing I don’t have to get back on a plane in three days.” 

 

One of the biggest obstacles standing in the way was Killian finding an apartment in Boston. He’d looked at several buildings online and had gotten in touch with a few landlords to discuss technicalities, but all of them had fallen through for one reason or another. 

 

Emma wasn’t eager to recommend her own apartment complex. The idea of having him so close was nice, but she couldn’t say the same for where she lived and was seriously considering other options herself once her lease ended in a few months. Still, it didn’t stop her from suggesting he stay with her until he found a place he was content with. 

 

“There’s not a ton of space and I’m obviously not the neatest person in the world, but you at least wouldn’t have to wait until you found a place here to move.” It helped that he had already planned to sell his furniture rather than try to bring it overseas and could also avoid having to buy new things right away.

 

“You’re sure I wouldn’t be putting you out?”

 

“Of course not. As far as I’m concerned, the sooner we get you moved the better.”

 

And that was that. A few short weeks later, Killian flew out to Boston, bringing his clothes and the handful of miscellaneous items he’d chosen not to sell or leave behind with Liam and Belle. Emma greeted him with a kiss that could only be described as PDA. Some moments were worth sacrificing her dignity for.

 

“Welcome home,” she told him in between kisses. His face lit up and made her heart do that thing it always did around him that she still wasn’t sure was normal.

 

“Swan, I think that’s my favorite thing you’ve ever said to me.”

 

Rooming with Killian came with a new sense of ease and contentment. It was the first time they’d ever been in the same place without a deadline when one of them would have to leave. That wasn’t to say things were always smooth sailing. She would leave her wet towels on the bathroom floor or he would want her TV remotes ordered by height on the coffee table and one of them would be annoyed at the other for it. But these adjustments came easier for them over time, so much so that Emma had all but forgotten he was still technically looking for his own place.

 

They discussed it one night after work when he’d been in Boston about a month or so. Killian had been to look at yet another apartment during his lunch break that afternoon with no success. Something always fell through with each he considered: the landlord wanted more per month than was sensible, he would discover maintenance issues with the building after doing further research, disputes with a lease. 

 

“You could just stay here. If you wanted to,” Emma quickly added at the surprised look on his face. “I mean, I know this building isn’t the nicest and it might seem like too soon for me to be making suggestions like that, but you know I love you and things are good so far and- what’s so funny?” She felt equally amused and annoyed when he started laughing.

 

“Love, do you really think I wouldn’t want to live with you?” 

 

“I dunno. My bookshelves aren’t organized and Pop Tarts make up, like, seventy-five percent of my diet, and I know how you feel about that.”

 

He considered this idea and then shrugged. “I can’t believe I’m about to say this, but Pop Tarts could make up eighty percent of your diet and I’d still consider it the utmost privilege to live with you.

 

“Oh, great. Because I was definitely underestimating with only seventy-five percent.”

 

Things continued to fall into place with ease. The Boston headquarters of Ship Shape was soon open for business and Killian thrived in his position, just as Emma knew he would. He quickly grew accustomed to the city and fit in well within her family and friend groups, David soon becoming his biggest fan. (“I’m starting to wonder if you love him more than me,” she’d joked with Killian one night after they’d gone to a Red Sox game with him and Mary Margaret.)

 

Liam and Belle brought the kids to visit over the summer. They had a great time exploring the city as a family, and Emma got to know Killian’s nieces and nephew much better on the few instances they allowed their parents some time to themselves. It was hard for Emma not to imagine what their future looked like seeing Killian care for and entertain the three of them so effortlessly. She was nowhere near ready to consider becoming three instead of two, but the idea didn’t terrify her the way it would have at one time. It actually made her smile instead. 

 

The lease on the apartment ran out in August. Emma knew as soon as she got the notice that they wouldn’t be renewing it. After all, she had planned to consider other options before she’d even thought about asking Killian to move in.

 

It took several weeks of searching to find a new place, but they soon found an apartment they were more than happy with and moved in early autumn, not long after their first official dating anniversary. 

 

Emma was convinced things couldn’t get any better than they already were. And then they did.

 

She came home from work one afternoon to find Killian sitting at the kitchen table picking at his nails. He stood when he noticed her enter the room. “Hello, love.”

 

“Hey. How did the presentation go today?” She’d long since come to accept that she would never make sense of half the things Killian’s company did, but she tried to be supportive and keep up with his current agenda regardless.

 

“Quite well if I do say so myself. I’m assuming there’s one less bail jumper on the streets of Boston today?”

 

“You’d assume correctly.” She leaned up to kiss him before depositing her things on the table and walked over to the fridge. “I’m starving. Anything specific you want for dinner?”

 

“I thought perhaps we might go out tonight.” She saw him type out something on his phone just before hers vibrated from her purse.

 

“Oh? What’s the occasion?” They had been making more of an effort to cook together since he’d moved in with her. Going out for a meal seemed odd without pretext.

 

“Check your phone first.”

 

“Huh?” He was only confusing her more.

 

“Love, I simply think you should consider checking your phone before doing anything else.” 

 

Both annoyed and apprehensive at his behavior, she did as Killian suggested and saw a notification from Facebook Messenger. “New message from Killian Jones- what is this?” 

 

“Just please read the message, Swan.” 

 

Emma opened the app. The words on the screen were anything but what she expected.

 

_ Hey. Sorry if this seems weird, but I was wondering if you would marry me?   _

 

She looked up and gasped at seeing him on his knee beside her, holding up a ring box. “I know it’s unconventional, but so is the way we met. I thought I’d take a page out of your book since that worked out so well. What do you say, Swan?”

 

Emma knocked him over in her attempt to kiss him and they ended up in a tangled heap on the ground. __

 

They had chocolate cupcakes at the wedding.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd love to know your thoughts on the ending! Feel free to come chat on Tumblr @captainsjedi

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! I'd love to hear your thoughts.


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